Sequel to green and yellow's original version of The Wild Ones
by Xx itz Ella xx
Summary: In a world where Cato and Katniss are the star crossed lovers of district 2, Katniss must now face the everlasting rebellion against snow but there's one problem, she's now six months pregnant with Cato's child whist he is no where to be found. Can the rebellion still stand a chance with a pregnant katniss or will it crumble into the ashes along with district 13. Read and find out!
1. Chapter 1 - The ashes of a nation

_**Hi guys! I know this might not be the same as Green and Yellows and I really tried my best to write the way she does! I just had to continue her story becuase I thought it was absolutely amazing and deserved to be finished even if I'm not as great as her! Anyway I hope u all like the sequel I'm doing which is in a slightly different style to how it was written before but I prefer to break it up into bits! I would also like to know weather you would like to have a Cato's POV? It's up to u guys! Just R &R your opinion and all are accepted! I hope u enjoy it! Ps: if u find this then I suggest you read Green and Yellows version of The wild ones becuase I can assure you, you won't understand this till you read her work which is absolutely amazing! Love you all Ella xxx**_

Just as Katniss finds herself thinking it's all over She once again opens her eyes to the world. Wearily and slowly She takes in her surroundings and notices she's lying down on what appears to be a blanket and that there's wires and machines connected to her through tubes, she immediately begins to panic. Millions of questions cram her brain all at once and She can't help herself to not be curious as she wonders if her sisters okay and weather or not she'll be coming home or if snow has finally decided to keep her to himself, or the rest of Panem.

After a few minutes of trying to calm down She realises Shes in a hovercraft, she sits up when everything comes rushing back to her. The arena, Johanna ripping her arm to shreds, the baby...the baby! Katniss' instincts suddenly kick in and her hands go flying to her stomach like a mad woman, but then lets out a sigh of relief when She finds the growing bump still there. Even though She didn't want this She still finds herself wanting to have it, even if she is consumed with hate most the time at the dilemma There in.

She looks around and finds no one else here, her mind soon wonders is Cato here? Is he dead? Even though She hates him part of her still worries having been with him so long she got used to his presence even when it wasn't wanted. She finds herself shouting his name again and again and with every time she does and there's no reply she panics even more. What if this is it? She thinks quietly to herself, what if after all this Cato is dead and it's just her stuck here with this thing growing inside of her. This thing is hers and Cato's creation and she couldn't hate something so much but Want to love it at the same time. She begins to get angry at the fact no ones telling her what's going on and thrashes around attempting to get up but she finds herself being restricted by something. Great. She realises they've tied her wrist to one of the machines and there's no point in trying to get up. She keeps screaming though taking her anger out on whoever is listening, after about fifteen minutes though she begins to get tired her throat begins to hurt and her brain has gone into over drive and by now she can hear company arriving.

She stops thrashing when the door slides open and the person she has been longing but avoiding to cross paths with once again enters. One of people who she got herself in this mess for.

Gale.

She stares confused at first, How could he still show his face to her knowing what she's done? Is he really that forgiving? And for once she sees a glimmer of hope as he walks straight up to her and gives a weak smile but she can instantly see right through it.

"Hey there catnip" he tries to sound confident but she can sense the hurt in his voice as he stares; smiling for a minute but soon decides to give up when he realises she knows it's not real. His face hardens but his eyes are soft staring over into her identical grey ones. She wanted to grab him right there and then and tell him she's sorry tell him that it was all a big mistake but she knows none of that is worth it now and the only way she can solve this is by being civil and accepting what has been done is done.

She soon realises she hasn't replied back to him, so, in a croaky worn out voice she replies "hi gale"

He sighs and turns his head away for a second focusing on something, she knows instantly something is up, something is worrying him and she intends on finding out what has made him so...jumpy and dull. Before he was vibrant he had a glow of confidence and would stand his ground no matter what. Katniss Everdeen certainly knew her best friend.

"Where are we going? what is going on? Why am I here" She asks turning her head to the side on the soft pillow unable to keep craning her neck up to look at him.

The questions just seem to flow out of her mouth and gale notices that and shakes his head slightly and looks down almost like he's ashamed.

"We're going to district 13, Katniss, the rebellion has started" he looks down sorrowful but she can't quite understand why he would be sad and so guilty when this is what he's wanted all along. Hell, its what everyone's wanted for the past 75 years but no ones dared to risk starting it. But it's not that what makes her mouth drop open and another boat load of questions to come hurdling through to her brain once again.

Since when did district 13 come back on the map? Snow would never have let that happen and even if they did survive on their own all these years how on earth did they cope with the constant threat of the Capitol filming and recording everything they got the chance to? She shakes her head disbelievingly and goes to open her mouth to ask how but shuts it again soon after when he replies.

" Everyone was getting hyped about you Katniss. If people didn't want to be like you they wanted to follow you, you've had an effect on everyone and everything, you've started a whole new series of events that could lead to our freedom. The districts freedom. If your wondering about 13 then after the bombings they moved underground and waited until someone or something like you came along its our only chance Katniss and you can change what snow began"

She shook her head, it was all to much, all she ever wanted was her sister safe and to never go into the games to stay safe with her sister and carry on like a normal seam family not some pregnant teenager who's a Capitol whore of a victor. When She asked the one question that was plaguing her mind eating away at her slowly; pushing it's way to the front until she asks.

"Gale, how come were not going to district 12?" She asked her voice hoarse and painful with the hint of curiosity hidden in her eyes when he looked at her the way she couldn't understand or read.

It was then that his face went pale tears threaten to fall and his face shows nothing but fear, no gales not like that! Gale doesn't cry, gale doesn't act weak or scared, he's always been strong but doubt soon seeps into her mind and what dwells on her next is the fact for once she couldn't read Gale Hawthorne; her best friend she's known all these years. Tears threatened to spill.

And it was then when he replied slowly "Katniss...there is no district 12"


	2. Chapter 2 - Burning cinders

**_hi guys, I figured maybe posting another chapter will get people more attention I really like really hope this becomes a lot more popular becuase I really want Yellow & Greens story to be completed and heard! Well here goes I hope u like it! Considering I don't have any reviews to go against on what to do next I kinda just went along with it well I hope u enjoy! - Ella xxx_**

Katniss' hands shook as she stared at the large table infront of her the black varnish shined so brightly you could almost see her reflection. But that was the last thing katniss wanted to see, she sighed longingly as the people around her talked about the rebellion that was once so far fetched no one ever thought would be possible or even real. But it is real. She has to remind herself that sometimes; weather somethings real or not real. It's a tiring subject and it takes up most of her time trying to figure it all out then in the morning for it only to be all muddled up again.

She hated it. She hated district 13. She hated the Capitol. But most of all she hated Snow.

If it wasn't for him none of this would be like this, she'd probably be happy now in district 12 hunting with gale, prim milking her goat and then the two of them would stare longingly at the cakes in the bakery window. Katniss' thoughts are soon short lived though as she realises where there going. The bakery. Peeta.

Her eyes sting as she takes in a sharp breath remembering the boy with the bread, but quickly shakes it away and instead thinks about how long she's been in this hell hole for now. To be exact she's been here 2 weeks and 3 days but half of those she wasn't even conscious or sane enough to remember. She hates being stuck underground she'd rather be outside in the wind...back in 12. A tingling sensation of fear and hurt washes over her as she remembers her home, no what used to be her home. Katniss mentally shakes her head trying to forget.

Her hands fall from the table and onto her growing stomach, it feels strange, the baby doesn't kick anymore; not like it used to anyway. It's like it knows that it's farthers dead. Cato's dead. She's certain of it, when Katniss heard they hadn't collected him like herself, finick, haymicth and beete, she cried. It shocked her at first the fact she would cry for such a monster the man who knocked her up and got her into this mess, but she couldn't help but feel like she owed him so much. And now just like peeta he's been taken from her and from there child who now has to live in a world with no farther who has to endure the same pain she did for the past five years knowing they will never meet there father.

She does hate Cato. But she can't hate what he did; he saved her so many times.

Katniss chocked back a sob and looked up realising everyone at the table were staring expectantly at her, she looked from face to face seeing there expectant and hopefull eyes resting on her broken and tore ones. Ones drained out; now only cinders of the fire it once was.

She speaks up her voice hoarse and sore at first but builds her confidence with every word; since she doesn't speak much anymore.

"W-what? Oh right..." They were talking about what they liked about her how to get a reaction and spark from the districts, it was all too much though for her to pay attention "well I think we should go to district 7, I mean, if anything they need to see what snow has done for themselves they need to know the real reason why this happened and the only way to do that is going there to see with our own eyes. Not only them but for us too." she breathes a sigh of relief as she gets her words out without stammering too much.

Ever since Katniss agreed to be the mockingjay she was never really sure. She doubted herself so much and when it came to the broadcast session she completely lost her confidence and the fire that she so badly wanted back, she wanted this for her sister too, she needed to prove to everybody else and herself she can still be Katniss Everdeen.

President coin, who she is learning to understand, stares at her; eyes boring into hers like she knows somewhere deep inside of her there's still a flame a match ready to be ignited. Then the presidents lips rise slightly and purse while asking "and if you get killed?"

Katniss shrugs then replies swiftly "make sure you get it on Cameror"

The presidents face flickers for a second and she raises her eyebrows and nods slowly to herself. It's then that katniss realises all those times trying to get smart answers to give Cato paid off well. She smirks slightly to herself feeling like she's slowly regaining herself with everytime she thinks of getting back at Snow for what he's done.

Katniss then looks up her eyes locking with haymitch's he smiles slightly then asks "looks like our mockingjay finally got some spirit left in her"

katniss almost rolls her eyes at his comment and replied "not as much spirit as you had in you a few months ago though" referring to his alchol intake which has now reduced over his time in 13.

He huffs then grungily replies back "sweetheart, sometimes you just don't know when to shut your mouth"

Katniss snickers slightly and leaves Coins headquarters to then decend the long staircase to the medical ward in search for prim. She tries to see her sister as much as possible even If it is hard with her being a nurse now and everything. She's walking past all the different wards when she finds herself turning around when she catches a glimpse of blonde hair. It's then that Katniss sees finick.

He's sitting on the floor, legs crossed and his back leaning against the bed and his eyes concentrated while his hands work their magic wielding and turning the rope constantly. She finds herself staring for too long fascinated at the piece of material that he holds and it's not long before he noticies her presence. Katniss has only spoke to finick a few times after the arena and even then both of them were too ill to even respond to each other and instead just nodded or sent each other short 'yes' or 'no' answers. Though Katniss knew now finick was on her side all along and although she was angry at the time she now realises how significant there plan actually was and her selfishness would have completely ruined it not only for her but for all of Panem too.

He smiles slightly then asks "hey, are you looking for prim?" His voice doesn't hold the same seductive tone as it once did and his sentences aren't smooth and charismatic but instead rough and casual. He finally sounds human Katniss thinks to herself but then regrets it after realising what caused him to be like this. Katniss knew finick also had a loved one taken from him, no she didn't love Cato, but she could relate to the feeling as best as she could.

She then replies "yeah I am actually, have you seen her?" She smiles back politely trying to not to show that they are both dying for company and someone to talk to who understands.

He nods "she went out not too long back to help some of the workers in the over draft facility apparently" he senses the worry on her face and replies shortly after "don't worry it's not dangerous; not like it sounds anyway. It's just where you sort though clothes and anything that's filling up to much"

"I know what the over draft is" Katniss replies maybe a little too bluntly, in truthfulness she was just worried she won't get any time to see her sister before they leave to district 7 it's at least a day's journey there and back.

Finick stares at her for a minute or too just as expressionless as her. When he speaks up asking "do you want me to teach you?"

Katniss smiles and nods sitting down to him eagerly wanting to learn something and occupy the gaping hole in her mind that consisted of nothing but thoughts that she would gladly part with for an hour or two.

Together, finick teaches her all sorts and she finds out a bit about him too and district 4, she finds the other districts, that always seemed like other worlds to her, so fascinating. Properly becuase they were all so different.

About an hour later there getting ready to board the the hover craft to district 7, Katniss wears the suit Effie presented to her not long back. It was her suit, no, the mockingjays suit. It fitted her pregnant figure perfectly armoured thickly over her abdomen making sure it's padded and soft inside for the baby. It was cinna's master piece, his final piece, and she had to say he outdid himself as always.

She looks in the mirror at her reflection. Katniss notes it's times like these when she's most reminded of herself before the games when she was fierce and strong mostly known for the fire she held against anyone and anything that came between her and her family. But the bump that now is very visible changes her in many ways and she realises that as much as she tries she will never be just Katniss. She will always be the girl on fire or the mockingjay or whatever name the capital comes up with next. Though her thoughts are cut short as it's then that a familiar figure appears in the mirror behind her.

"Are you ready to go?" Gales voice is calm and collected as he talks to her and it pains her to think she's done this to him.

"Why are you being like this?" She asks all of a sudden not realising what she's said until it's too late.

His jaw sets and it's so unlike gale to become so distant and angry so sudden it's then that she realises he looks exactly the same as Cato did when they first spoke properly just the thought of him stirs something inside of her that she's never felt before but she pushes it aside to now see gale has inched further to her and his arms are crossed.

He looks down then says "you know, sometimes I imagine what it would have been like; if I volunteered for Mellark, if I was your lover, the one who got you...you knocked up. But I didn't did I? No that monster from 2 did who only cares about himself, you know I doubt he even cares for that child probably just using you to make them feel sorry for him then gain his victory again. I bet you he wanted to stay there and carry on fighting I bet he couldn't bear to see the games be destroyed. You know I expected better in you Katniss, never in a million years did I expect you to let that bastard into your bed!"

His voice edges on louder as he speaks the words slap her in the face and it stings. How dare he say those things about her about Cato...what did her ever do to him except what he was forced to do? He didn't know he'd be upsetting gale. Cato was just as innocent in this as she was and she wasn't going to let her so called best friend walk away knowing he just called her a monster becuase that's what she is isn't she? If Cato's like that then that means she's like that too becuase they both did this. They are both to blame.

They are both to blame for something they didn't even have a choice in doing.

Its then that Katniss does the one thing she thought she would never do to gale.

The sting comes before her hand even makes the impact, the realisation hitting, she opens her mouth to plead and say she's sorry but nothing comes out. All that anger was just too much she needed to get it out and it just happens that gale edged her on, he went there.

Before she knows it he stares at her his eyes unforgiving and cold and she swears even Cato's eyes seem warmer than gales are to her now. She gulps.

He then says in a low growl "your unbelievable. See you on the hovercraft Katniss"

Then Katniss realises for the first time.

Her best friend and only friend just walked away from her.


	3. Writers notification

_**hi guys, I know it's early days yet but I just wanted to let you all know there will be a CatoXKatniss coming soon I just don't want to rush into it I think I slow burn is good! I mean a fire takes practice and patience and so does love. So I just wanted to let you know that I won't let you down and I'm trying my best to make it just the same as the original writer! (This is my first time writing a fanfic you see) I hope more people review and understand. Anyway thanks for whoever reads this and please take into consideration what I've said (not to be rude lol) cuz I love all my fans! ( if I have any) :/**_

 _ **but anyway love y'all peeps Ella! Xxx**_


	4. Chapter 3 - Birds are meant to fly

_**Heyy guys super long chapter taken ages to write as I accidently deleted the first draft with ought saving! Argh anyway this is more action packed and exciting! Hope you enjoy!**_

Its midday when they arrive at district 8 and the warm air tingles Katniss' face making it feel soft and warm, the sunlight feels odd and unusual at first from being deprived from it for so long under 13s grounds. She takes in a deep breath then feels the baby stir inside of her the feeling still not natural and startles her, she places her hand on her stomach cooing softly at it trying to calm it down in her pathetic way of being a mother. She sighs remembering her own mother who used to sing and run her fingers through her hair, that was back when she was sane before her farthers mining accident, when prim was just a baby and she was only a toddler hobbling along on her hands and knees singing the songs her farther taught her so long ago.

It seems like another life.

Since the quarter quell prim had grown so much she now begins to resembles a young woman the food here being much more substantial and nutritious has given a good effect on everyone especially those from the seam and seems to have given everyone a sort of glow that makes them look healthier and happier like they've now got something to hold on to and hope for. She misses her sister so far she hasn't spent much time with her what with all the duties she has to do on becoming the mockingjay and Prim helping her mother and the other doctors out in the medical ward. Although she doesn't want to be the mockingjay the role has some benefits it means she can hunt in district 13s untouched wilderness even though she's only done it once already and that being with gale it's something she wants to do regular even if gale won't accompany her anymore.

Looking around she takes in district 8s dimolished factory's and buildings discarded and left like an array of trash cans in the street. The fumes mix with the warm air and burn Katniss' thoat along with the smell of smoke and remains of burnt down human flesh although she tries not to think of the second part too much.

She soon finds herself following Cressida a capitol film producer who fled to be apart of the rebellion and now being apart of her own 'film crew'. Behind her was Pollux who was an avox unable to talk becuase he had his tounge removed by the capitols for 'breaking the law'. Katniss almost snickered at the thought of how president snow must feel, his own people fleeing just to be apart in something so great if could change the entire world for good!

They walked doing broken footpaths and burnt out cars on the way when Cressida said "Katniss we're going into a hospital now and we want to see your reaction towards everything okay? Just be normal and remember make them see what snow has done"

she nods taking in the information she just recieved. She notes in her head to act normal but the consuming feeling of anxiety takes over and she finds herself biting her nails as they greet a gangly tall woman with black short hair that complements her skin tone well called Paylor.

The woman marches proudly over to her offering a hand on the way and smiling ever so slightly politely like a forced smile that she would often see in the capitol would be too polite or simply classed as rude, she couldn't tell.

She shadkes the woman's firm hand and she remembers her farther once telling her that you can always tell what kind of person someone is by there hand shake a firm one means a secure and safe decent person one that's the opposite usually means someone who's uncaring and reckless.

Katniss soon finds herself in a polluted and poverty written factory that's far from medically advanced and half the people almost destined for death. She gulps back the tears as she takes in every worried face every face of shock and most of all grief and she realises soon that the looks don't resemble the emotion of themselves but the emotion of her. They're pitying her. This makes her want to scream and yell to tell them she's not worth it she's not worth being valued. But the silence as she looks around herself stirs he'd thoughts away and every pair of eyes are visualised on her expecting and waiting for something inspirational something worth listening for.

When a voice comes up out of the crowd "Katniss Everdeen" and that's when they all kiss there three fingers and salute her just like before the reaping and just like in district 11. She gulps back tears then says "thankyou, I-I'm sorry this has come to you. I didn't expect it to be like this, district 12 is off the map most of the districts are rebelling becuase of me"

but She was cut of by Paylor who then spoke loud and clear her voice echoing of the silent anticipating walls who hung of her every word "no becuase of snow your the spark this rebellion needs Katniss the the flame who lights up the dark just remember that"

she almost laughs then replied solumly "yeah it would be easier if I wantnt pregnant"

thats when an old woman speaks up and asks the one question Katniss had been dreading "what about Cato?"

His name stung and she stammers out a short "I-I don't know" but her sentence is soon cut short as Boggs comes forward claming there's capitols Air Force nearby and that they must leave the building immediately.

she finds herself running along gale as they leave the building and he notices her presence beside him but doesn't tense up but instead remains still and concentrating. They run for a few blocks and Katniss holds her now hyper-tech how that's specially molded to her closer following the crew. But there journey is soon stopped as he first air crafts move closer they shoot down at them and Katniss finds herself doing behind the broken remains of an old banking station. The bullets bounce of everywhere and the sound of the bombs crackle against her ears piercing them as she carries on running.

Suddenly though two more aircraft come flying in attempting to shoot at them Katniss grabs a red arrow the explosive ones (the most dangerous) and as if it was in all of a second pulls back the quiver and aims hitting the craft which is then falling out of control and soon hurts into a frenzy of flames engulfing whatever it crashes into in more flames and smoke.

They carry on running until they come to a clearing she hears Boggs say somethin and then Cressida shout to Paylor "There aiming for the hospital!"

Katniss then panicks her whole body jolts forward wanting to go and stop whatever they were doing and forcing herself to go and help the people she just talked to but it's too late the hospital is bombed into oblivion all those innocent people gone because of one man! She screams as she's held back then realises Cressidas fiming and Katniss knows what she has to do.

"If president snow is watching this I want him to know what he has caused!" She begins her voice feirce flames rising slowly igniting themselves within "he has killed innocent people children and most of all districts! And no matter what we will fight together becuase no matter what president snow thinks he doesn't own me and he doesn't own you we can fight together against this becuase guess what!? He can burn us he can bomb us he can hurt us but if we burn then you burn with us!"

She whole body radiates heat her mind a fury of questions and for once she knew the answers.

Becuase she was the mockingjay.


	5. Chapter 4- Nightmares replace Dreams

_**Hey, so I thought maybe as a tester or let's call it a treat I thought I'd throw in a Cato's POV please tell me your opinion becuase of course it's valid! So if you like it and want me to keep it comment keep and if you don't then comment delete and if you have any suggestions on if I could edit it to make it better in anyway just say! Or PM me ur choice! Well I hope you enjoy!**_

The whole world seems to freeze as he feels himself being dragged, pain suffocates his body and the ground is rough beneath his grip. Suddenly he's being tied up his hands bound to weak to even care he lets them tie the thick rope around his wrists.

He can't remember much just pain as he tries to save her. Katniss and there unborn child. Suddenly he opens his eyes hoping to find her but part of him knows she's probably dead or worse captured like himself and slowly being tortured by snow yes he said it he'd rather her be dead than slowly manipulated. The thoughts sicken him as he imagines her screams as t-no don't think about it he tells himself.

Faint footsteps fill the white room as he takes in his surroundings, it's white and spacious a bed with white crisp clean sheets and small apparatus filling a metal push table in the right hand corner. He gulps. He knows where he is and he doesn't fight back...there's no point.

"Cato young" his voice is thick as he says his name. He lets out a low chuckle and he knows that laugh that voice from anywhere.

Snow.

He looks up with his eyes his forehead scrunched together eyes hard. Just as he imagined snow stands there head held high and he can now smell the familiar smell of roses snows signature cologne.

He watches as he walks up to him knife in hand when he spits "you know it's a shame really even if you did live you'll never know what your child looks like"

Cato's eyes widened as he took in the information he'd just received, his face stung and for all of a second he looked hurt. Emotionally. Although he never thought about having children and even if he did never in a million years with Katniss something about the idea of lousing it seemed to scare him. He gulped realising the effect something that isn't even born yet can have and suddenly he became angry his fists clenched as he hung vulnerable for once in his life. He tried so hard to protect her and their child and it was thrown back in his face. He felt like he had killed them.

Snow was still smiling at him his eyes black and crazed like he would gladly see him cry in pain as he sliced him to bits with the long knife he held. Sadistic son of a bitch he thought quietly choosing not to say it for once thinking of the imaginable.

When Cato growled back unable to control his slowly boiling temper "what did you do to her?"

Snow chuckled and walked closer and whispered "you know it's funny it almost seems like you care. I knew you were a good actor but I didn't think you'd be that good"

A pang of realisation went through Cato as he realised maybe part of him did care...no. Even if he did it's to late now he lost his chance. He'll never be able to give the love that child deserved, as much as he hated himself for what he'd done he couldn't help but think of Caia at the idea of a child and it pained him. He would never get to see Caia's smile again as he joked about the past and told story's as she listened patiently to what was going to happen.

He snapped back to reality once again leaving his thoughts as Snow pressed the knife to his stomach "does that hurt?" He smiled sickly at me looking me in the eyes "I wonder how it would feel if you had a child in there as well...be horrible to feel that pain. It's such a shame some women have to go through that, then again katniss probably wouldn't even care your child wouldn't be worth much anyway"

Cato's face burnt with anger his fists clenched jaw sharp and rigid as he took in sharp breaths but then what really set him of was what the president said next "you know when she's burnt she'll probably moan; moan like a whore...just like your sister did when we got her to"

His blood boiled over sizzling as he thrashed as much as he could trying to break the rope he screamed menacingly at the old man him backing away laughing to himself.

"Leave her alone you twisted son of a bitch! Don't you dare touch my sister becuase I swear I will rip your head of and feed you to all those mutating mutts. I'll rip all of you to shreds! That was my child my life my future wife and you taken that away from me you took everything I ever owned away from me and now you will pay! you will pay when I get my hands on you!" He laughed insanely as he said this his eyes wide and threatening insane like "you child murdering bastard!" It's like all the anger he had inside of him bubbled over his instincts to fight back deceased as he relished all his anger at the president.

When all of a sudden the presidents laughing stopped he stared as he realise Cato had broke the rope his anger that built up and uncontrolled his strength to strong to control and his pain tolerance was to high to even notice the blood his wrists now dripped off from straining the rope until it snapped. He knew Cato had a weakness and he's obviously found it hidden among the strong confident display he chose as his role but there was one thing that got in the way of hitting that weakness. His anger. Cato didn't get upset he got angry; it took a lot to break him even more than it would to brake Katniss.

It was then that he realised Snow wasn't scared it was a matter of seconds when his bodyguards came the, peacekeepers, he was untouchable and even if he did kill him there and then he'd only get punished. Cato was never free and he knew that, he knew who he belonged to it just never dawned on him, all this time he thought he belong to Katniss...

When the person he really belonged to was snow.

And that's when Cato sobbed as he realised, maybe there was no way out.


	6. Edited first few chapters

_**Hi guys! So yes I know I've left it sooo long but please do not fear I have chapters about 5 chapters on the go ready for you guys and considering it's the holiday I'll be well busy writing because that's what I do with my life lol! But I enjoy it! Soo I know a lot of you are confused or don't totally agree with the way I've expressed the characters well don't worry becuase I'm editing the first couple of chapters to make them clearer and maybe tweak them a little, so this is important if you like details! Well anyway I hope your all enjoying your hols if you are on holiday and I hope you have done well with exams if you've had them becuase I have! :,( *cries* sooo anyway hope you guys enjoy the chapters to come! And just to make people know (if you don't like reading this big ass paragraph)**_

 _ **THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN EDITED LOL!**_

 ** _\- Ella :)_**


	7. Chapter 5- The pieces are playing

_**Hi guys so i promised you five chapters so here's chapter number 1! It took me ages to write so I hope you like it I've tried to make my chapters longer :) sooo I will try and update everyday for the next week and I hope you all enjoy! - Ella**_

Katniss stared at the screen, her eyes transfixed as everything she ever told herself seems like a complete lie. She doesn't even bother to notice the stares and whispers of the people around her but instead just stares harder her eyes burning with concentration that also hid something else that was shocked and scared but not for herself.

She'd been talking with prim and finick when the screen had flickered on and the Panem anthem played out loud and clear, she went silent, as shock revolved around her body and everything seemed to spin. Katniss couldn't believe it, either that or she'd convinced herself he was dead for far too long. But as she stared at the screen she realised he might not look dead but he certainly is undermeath the makeup that covered his face that only she really noticed. But snow couldn't cover up his body and Katniss could see his once stocky and muscular build was slowly wasting away.

Katniss found herself gripping her _very_ pregnant self as she stared longer at the screen, in which her stomach twisted and tured into a frenzy of emotion that she couldn't even begin to understand. And she had to ask herself Was it real?

Yes it was real.

cato is alive. Alive but not well.

She found herself staring into those cold icy blue and sinister eyes once again, although this time, they held no ice or the very little warmth they sometimes showed but simply hollowness as he stared into the cameror like he knew that she was watching him. Although she still despised him and wanted nothing more than to avenge peeta's death on him part of her knew she had to help and that she couldn't leave him there. She had to help her child's farther even if she didn't want him to be he always will be and she couldn't bare to tell her child she left there farther to die. But one thing she couldn't do it alone. So after a few moments of shock, Katniss tuned in to what they were saying.

 _"So what your saying then Cato is that you want everyone to call a ceasefire?" Asked Caesar his voice thick with fake enthusiasm._

 _"Yes" Cato states bluntly_

 _Caesar turns to the cameror nodding slowly at the audience his chin scrunched together, then turning back to him and asking "but surely do you_ _realise that if the mockingjay- Katniss who is carrying your child does return to the capitol she will be executed for treason?"_

 _Cato doesn't answer but instead stares at the ground his eyes emotionless and as stotic as the floor that he stares upon, thats until Caesar asks "would you like to say anything towards this?"_

 _That's when Cato looks up and all of a sudden his eyes turn cold and demanding he looks straight ahead of him his gaze piercing through the cameror and for all of a second his eyes soften showing worry and hurt like he is nervous for something or he didn't know something they did but that display is soon ended as he says "Katniss, they're coming for you, They are g-oing to b-ob yo-..." Cato is cut off as two peacekeepers collect him, like they were expecting or waiting for this to happen, dragging him by his arms the one then grabs his neck causing his words to form into a jumbled mess as his air supply is cut off and that's when the screen goes black. Cato didn't even fight back..._

katniss' eyes are wide with shock for all different reasons but the one thing that dwells in her mind is why did he warn her? Why did he do that if he knew he would probably get continuously touttoured afterwards. It's the same as when she volunteered...what drove him to do it? Although her thoughts are soon deceased as she finds someone grabbing her shoulders and the now deafening sound of an alarm sounding through the the compartments waking everyone from their intense stare at the screen and making them more alert. Katniss struggles for a second her instincts kicking in that she needs to fight back but when he turns around and she sees Boggs she lets out a sigh of relief as he smiled and pulls her a bit more gently into the crowd of panicked people all rushing to get to one place.

In a flurry of confusion Katniss practically shouts over the raving crowd "where are we all going?"

Boggs is silent from a second like he's rethinking something when he replies hurriedly "Coin has just reported that Snow is indeed bombing us, Cato there may not have saved his own life pulling a stunt like that but he just in time saved ours, whatever it was though he's bound to not get of lightly"

katniss gulps like she's swallowing the information she just received like food and processing it bit by bit. But her mind seems to wander too quickly as they decend the large staircase downwards, Boggs who was once infront has now carried on as Katniss searches frantically for her sister. She's stopped dead in her stacks and people are pushing and shoving her and trampling her almost to the ground. She tries to protect her stomach as much as possible by rapping her arms around her large bump.

Katniss steadies herself when she bumps into finick who looks startled but then his gaze softens to a more concerned one.

"Finick have you seen prim?!" Katniss asks her heart racing at a hundred miles per hour and her pregnant figure heavy with fatigue from the constant moving of district 13s underground.

He replies quickly "yeah she went looking for her cat hoping she would find you with him or something!"

Panic soon sets in and without even replying or thinking she sets of accelerating as best as she can even with her now eight month bump, pushing past person to person she comes to the top where the sprkinklers spray shimmering water down on her.

She calls as loudly as she can "PRIM! PRIM WHERE ARE YOU!" Katniss' voice is hoarse and rough from constant shouting and she finds herself gripping onto the railing as the clock counts down. She has ten minutes. Ten minutes to get to her sister before the doors shut and there exposed to the bombs.

Although she spoke to soon a shudder of tremors fills the stairway and Katniss has to grip even harder to the railing as she feels like she's slipping away from reality and back into the games as she hears the all to familiar count down she once heard twice before.

Katniss was giving up hope when a voice pierced through the watering showers from the sprinklers followed by faint footsteps and someone loops their arms around her "Katniss!" Her voice is frightened but soft and calm once she sees her.

Prim runs down the stairs and hugs Katniss careful not to squish buttercup between them. Katniss is about to scold prim for going back for such a scrawny little thing but a dark figure catches her attention. She looks up to find gale. His stare that once held coldness now melts as he meets her gaze; caught of guard. Katniss soon realises it was gale who made sure prim was safe and brought back to her. So he did still care. A part in Katniss that had died when her and gale fell out lit back up again with a new hope of gale finally having trust and forgiveness even if it is just to her family and not her. Katniss knows now that what she did was unfair even if at the time she believed he deserved it, but she knew that gale was just hurt and upset he didn't mean to push her to the limits becuase he was unaware of what he was doing.

She's about to open her mouth to speak to him when his arm grabs hers as another tremor that was the largest so far obliterates the earth above them. Katniss finds herself clutching her stomach as sharp pains simulate through her body from the fall, she groans out loud but regrets it when gale looks at her wide eyed like he's expecting the worst for her to go into labour now whilst running, however she shakes her head to indicate she's not and slowly gets back into her pase as she continues running.

1...2...3...4...5...

katniss is through the door first, then prim and finally gale who just about makes It before the door shuts. There all panting on the floor exhausted and some off the people near them help them up and show them towards where their family is. Once they arrive prim kisses Katniss' cheek and quickly runs towards Rory gales brother who is one year older than her, they both hug, Katniss smiles as she sees the look of relief over his face and the way he hugs her tightly towards him like she will disappear If he doesn't. The hug and his expressions are rather more than friendly. And yet prim was so oblivious to it all, just like her once.

Katniss practically throws herself down on the bed stretching out her now aching and humongously swollen ankles, usually she would take a syrum prim learnt how to make here in 13 that they used in the Capitol to get rid of the normal aches and pains she endured, but becuase of the bombings it disturbed when she was to have her next dosage. Sighing Katniss felt the bed beside her sink and she saw gale he smiled down softly then said "Katniss I'm sorry about what I said. I know I was angry but I couldn't help it, I Just I can't bare you to see you with him" he ran the back of his hand from her temple to under her chin.

She gulped and then realised he was leaning in, for so long Katniss had been deprived from this, told who she could and could not kiss, however this time that wouldn't happen. She connected and met her lips with his, they were sweet and soft but then it all went and suddenly something felt wrong like what she was doing wasn't right and in return her stomach flipped in anxiety and a strange feeling of betrayal taken over her...she felt as if kissing gale was wrong as If when she kissed him she felt like he should be someone else. There lips were still joined and she went to brake away and explain but she was 'saved' by the tremendous boom that rattled the entire bunker and caused her and gale to part anyway. The shudders lasted about five minutes and a pipe burst soon after which made people cry out in panic and in the distance a child started crying. She could see the young mother softly holding there young one, rocking it back and fourth until it softened and it now gurgled instead of cried and before she knew it the child was silent once again. Soon that would be her and her child she hoped.

Although her attention was soon drawn to gale as she saw him stearing at her as she stared intrigued at the young mother when she spoke up "I'm sorry gale, but I don't know if I can do this, I don't know if I can love my best friend..." She turned her gaze back to him.

His eyes flickered of disappointment and hurt for a second when he raised his voice softly replying "i don't understand, we could be anything, like I said before we could have ran away gone and fled but why? We could make a life together Katniss we could raise this child together"

Gales words sicken her and She almost gaged at the fact he could do that to a poor and innocent child make it believe it has a family that's there own and really it doesn't it's all a lie so she replies "gale, I'm sick of making my life a lie and pretending...look gale i need you right now! But as my best friend and not my savour, my partner or whatever you want to call me. I just want you here as gale. Not the farther of my goddam child!" Tears threaten to spill as she points accusingly at her stomach.

She took in a deep breath registering and analysing his each and every expression until he faintly replied "If that's what you want..." And then he looks down then says "because no matter what I'll always want you Katniss. Becuase the only way I can get your attention now is by making you worried for me or upset you'll Louse me, I don't want your simpathy Katniss."

katniss smiled slightly at the fact hes understanding slightly or trying to so she then replied "I know gale, and I do love you but as my best friend. I need a friend gale not a lover becuase I know that no matter what I'll always be owned and I'll always belong to someone els especially when this baby is born"

 **O _kay so yes I know really boring chapter! Ahh taken me ages to write as well! :,( well next chapter I promise for sure will be jucy I just needed this to give me a boost towards the case and make sure it makes sense._**


	8. - writers note

_**hi, Okay so I've had a few reviews and some people aren't happy, probably because its getting like a typical teen drama and I'm sorry for that if you want a more serious story and think I'm destroying the original one. Therefore I was thinking of writing another version of how it could end which will be a lot more serious and a lot more in depth with the characters rather than the story line. But I've got to be honest when I first published this it was my very first fanfic and I had no idea how to portray the story and it took me a lot of courage to carry on such a popular read. However I don't want your sympathy because I'm determined to make you guys happy. I will post a first chapter of the new version and see what you guys think and prefer that one or not. So as always thankyou all soo much for all the reviews no matter what you said I really appreciate it! I hope you take the new story into consideration! Thanks :)**_


	9. Chapter 6- A match ready to be ignited

**_Hey guys! I just wanted to say I'm carrying on this this story and I'm going to make it the best I can! I'm not going to start new because I feel like I shouldn't have to, I also want to say a massive thankyou to Emerald who's reviews have been amazing and I really want to thank for your support on this story! I really needed it! I want to give another thanks to Amelia too because I really love your review and you both gave me the confidence to carry this on! I really love all your reviews even if you don't like the way I'm portraying the story your reviews give me more confidence to carry on even if I do doubt myself first I'm going to try and use this as a boost, so in this chapter I've made it longer and more detailed in my descriptions! soo I hope you like it! Thanks sooo much Ella :D_**

District 13 had been quiet the day after the bombings, there was no busy rushing around but instead a heavy drift of shock when hey realised the damage. It had been like that for four days and Katniss wondered if it brought back bad memories for some people who lost there homes the first time and maybe have again. Although it was only the top layers that had been seriously damaged there was a few places where it had gone even deeper. Like district 13 Katniss had been stuck in the depths of her own emotions, the world around her seemed to be moving too fast and it was like she's finally woke up and saw that she can get through this. Even if she does list a number of reasons why her life is terrible every time she wakes up. Although she feels like she should just end it all now she knows she can't, not when she looks into prims hopeful eyes and not when she sees how weak she has became. She can't stand seeing herself as needing help, she cant stand it to look in the mirror and see nothing but a ghost of a figure staring back at her looking so weak and broken. It's things like this that make Katniss carry on.

After the bombings and when they finally got the whole place up and running again, Plutarch told her that district 2 had been bombed causing another immense mass of people to move here. They were worried at first that there wouldn't be room, but somehow, as always, coin found some way of making things work her way. Sometimes she succeeded far too often for her own good Katniss would sometimes think. But she wasn't there to see the people of district 2 make there way into 13, she didn't want to be, so instead she went out into the woods with gale and her camera crew. She needed to get away from there, she never liked big crowds and the feeling of being in the middle of it all made her nauseous.

So they sat here near a small lake similar to the one back home in district 12, she loved being out here it gave her a chance to clear her head from all her problems and imagine she's in her own woods with the small ramshackled house opposite the lake which she would sometimes visit during the cold winters whilst hunting. Although that seemed like another eternity ago and she knew if that was ever going to happen again she would have to defeat snow and take back everything that he ever created and like shat gale said. She can end what he began.

Her mind was deep in thought about this when her attention went to Pollux who was staring at her his green eyes were the only thing that meant Katniss could read him and they held so emotion and consisted of the words she knew he would never be able to speak. That was another reason Katniss was urged to fight because Snow didn't just takeaway his voice they took away his opinion and right to speak out and she felt saddened at the thought of not being able to just say something but instead have people wondering and confused everytime you try to interact with them. However it wasn't like that for Katniss, she knew when he stared at her the way he was now he wanted her to do something for him, it was the look of pleading, and when he tapped his mouth she knew what he wanted.

He wanted her to sing.

Without a second of thought Katniss started singing the hanging tree, which her father would sing so often to her as a child even when her mother used to complain its banned he would then instead whisper or sing lower which would make her laugh and smile at the fact her father was so stubborn to actually stop singing it. so even though her voice was sore at first she carried on the words flowing from her mouth and into the melody picturing her father's smiling self as she looked upon the lake.

she began.

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _They strung up a man they say who murdered three_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree_

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _Where dead man called out for his love to flee_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree_

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree._

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree._

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree._

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _They strung up a man they say who murdered three_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree_

 _Are you, Are you_  
 _Coming to the tree_  
 _Where dead man called out for his love to flee_  
 _Strange things did happen here_  
 _No stranger would it be_  
 _If we met at midnight in the hanging tree_

She looked around and realised they were all smiling and staring intently like they were transfixed on her voice and the song. Katniss realised Cressida had been filming her all along. She knew it was mostly the lyrics that captivated people, the forbidden story based on a man and his lover who commit suicide so they can be together. Katniss took these words for granted as a child not realising the words her farther used as a lullaby to send her to sleep were someone else's nightmares.

Katniss then turned to pollux who placed his hand on his heart and nodded his eyes that looked at her admiringly, she smiled in return and turned to look at gale who was also staring at her, though he knew what the song really meant to her and the hidden meaning that lay beneath it.

Soon however there silence had to be ended as Cressida announced "We need to get back, Coin is wanting another meeting with you this evening Katniss and we need to help prepare for the arrival of district 2"

She nodded and followed after then continuing through the winding track they took to arrive here and made there way to the opening which was now a concrete mess that consisted of uneven ground and earth dented into the size of craters. They entered in through a small hole that wasn't left too damaged which was soon met by a large staircase that they then descended to the hall where they have lunch. Katniss then went on to go and look for Prim in the large space which was now filled with various new faces from 2. Most off them weren't very happy to be here and she could see that, the district wasn't one to rebel and the events would cause some of them to act rather sour around district 12 and 13 residents as she could tell from the fact they all seemed to congregate together. Although a various few dared to mix with the new environment and people instead of out casing themselves away.

She scanned the area when her eyes landed on prim, smiling that Katniss could for once eat with her sister she walked over carrying her food in one hand.

she bent over and said in her most cheerful voice that felt not as forced as she thought it would be "hey there little duck!"

"Katniss!" Prims eyes were wide when she whizzed around in her seat to face her and she hugged her tightly. Katniss could tell her sister was enthusiastic about something and she wanted to know why.

She was about to ask when before Katniss could even register who it was next to her she froze into place her heart tugged painfully as a familiar blonde haired and blue eyed girl turned around in a wheelchair. Katniss held her breath her whole body sunk with the familiar gut feeling of failure and her cheeks stung as she took in the girls features for a second time. Her frame was thinner than before and she was smiling her blue eyes shining just like her sisters where although hers were brighter she could tell that it was only the colour and beneath she could see how hurt the little girl was. How hurt Caia was. Cato's sister who she had selfishly forgotten about, who she had replaced and tried to ignore with her won sister and family, she forgot that Cato had family too and they were in as much danger as hers. Though part of her was bursting with happiness as her sister would now have somebody there for her to talk to and all those times she imagined them together might come true even if there not playing in the meadow or baking food together at least they have each other now. And this makes Katniss feel like she's finally being heard somewhere, that even if its not her, the people around her can still have happiness.

Katniss put on a smile and replied "Caia, It's really nice to see you again and I'm really glad your safe along with some of your district, I see you've met prim here already?"

The young girl nodded and her smile dampened as she then answered "yes, when I first arrived here they sent me to the medical ward because they weren't sure if the wheelchair I was In was suitable enough so they gave me a new one, that's when I met Prim who I instantly recognised from the interviews during yours and Cato's games..." Her voice trails off as she mentions the too painful memories of her brother and the games which makes Katniss feel even worse and can't bear the thought of being so helpless and not being able to bring her brother back to her.

However Katniss tries to brighten the mood by adding "I understand, but try not to think about it...I know that if Cato was here he wouldn't want you worrying over it and if anything he'd want you to carry on...but things will get better."

"Yeah I know It's just hard, he's always been there Katniss. Always. I just can't help but feel like I could have done something, I could have saved my brother from the Capitol. You know most people think we actually 'liked' the games most of them think we actually wanted my brother to go into them but...it was our farther really he...he was the one" Katniss watched as she saw the young girl break into pieces her soft and warming voice turn cold as she talked of her farther and the unforgotten distance of her voice as she talked about her brother and the games like he was dead. Her heart ached and she found herself enveloping the girl in a hug her little arms tightening around her like she's begging her to just pull her out of the wheelchair that's more like a cage than a medical condition.

Katniss shushed the girl and hummed as she rocked her slightly conscious not to hurt her and did what she always did to prim and stroked her hair, the memory brings back a lot though and she remembers doing the same thing to her before her first games. She then whispered "It's going to be alright I know you don't think so but it will be. Don't worry. I'll bring Cato back for you, I'll do it even if it kills me to"

When Caia calmed down she looked at Katniss but then shook her head and placed a small hand on her stomach then said "No...not when your like this. He wouldn't want that and I don't either. I believe you can bring him back to me I really do but your not going like this." Her blue orbs stared at her intently and Katniss realised that she looked so familiar and that her child like appearance was gone and she had the same look in her eyes as Cato did when she told him she'd help his sister and the same look he held when he told her that this child is his too and that its his too protect as well. The memory stirs something inside of her though and it seems like she's sinking into an incessant pool of darkness as she remembers those cold icy blue eyes as they stared at her challenging or when they stared at her when she let her guard down and wasn't looking at him. She knew she had to help, she knew that even if she tried to remind herself who he is and what he's done she can't help it, she wants to something because she can't keep standing back and letting her thoughts get the best of her as she wonders what they do to him or tell him. she doesn't want to wonder she wants to know he's away from Snow because she knows that if Snow doesn't have him she can't be hurt anymore and neither can Caia because all he is to them is what he's been portrayed as all his life. A weapon. She knows that he's more than that, he cares and he does try and maybe...maybe she's just been too blind to see that and maybe it did take something as horrible as this to finally make her see that he's like her he needs just as much help as her. She knew what she must do even if she cant do it herself.

Though her thoughts emerged from those cold and icy depths though as she heard her sisters voice reminding her that she zoned out so quickly leaving the two girls to just stare at her "Katniss? Katniss its okay...Katniss?"

she looked at her sister and went to say something when he sister cut her off "Katniss, I think you should eat, all this running around isn't good for the baby and even though when you go into the woods you aren't getting game I don't think you should go anymore" Katniss smiled at her sisters attempts to bring her back to reality and assure she's okay in the most not obvious way.

"Sorry, and yes I promise Caia but even if I don't go there myself I will help Cato, he needs us and we need him." Katniss says finally replying to Caia as she stared at her wondering as she watched her how easily Katniss could fall apart like the way she did how she can just mention her brother and she instantly freezes like her memories are another world she enters when reminded of them. Prim is used to this though and although holds concern not as much confusion as Caia and that her sisters sudden 'daydreaming' intently is on a daily basis from now on.

"Thankyou Katniss, for trying" Caia says her voice hesitant as if she doesn't want to cause her to become distant again.

Getting back to her usual self Katniss replies "It's alright, so where is your mother and farther?"

This time Caia freezes as she speaks and replies "My...My m-mother didn't make it a-and my farther decided to stay in two along with the others" her voice is very saddened and distraught as she answers Katniss and she suddenly feels guilt as her questions answered.

she nods and is about to reply when and reassure her when she feels someone come up from behind her, turning around Katniss sees Finnick his eyes marvelling at the two young girls who are slowly regaining there smiles as Finnick somehow radiates with happiness. Katniss knows though he's only like this around them and behind closed doors Finnick Odiar is as complicated and tangled as some of the knots he makes.

He puts on a flirtatious voice and picks up prims hand and bows down to her height then says "And to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing two of the most beautiful girls in all of district 13?"

prim blushes and rolls her eyes when he then does the same to Caia who then does the same but a lot more shy because Prim has many encounters with the handsome victor. "Oh please!" prim says in a dramatic capitol voice then laughs and replies normally "Finnick this is Caia and Caia this is finnick"

A broad smirk comes across his face when he takes in the girl who has to crane her neck up to look at him from in her wheelchair. "Well it's been very nice to meet you ladies I hope you like it here caia, even if you sometimes have to look at that scowling face everyday" Finnick looks to Katniss smirking and she just rolls her eyes and shoving him playfully at his attempts to tease her "but you get used to staring at it after a while. Gosh Katniss I don't even know how you live with it!"

She smiles and shakes her head when finnick louses that playfull edge to his tone when he turns to her and says "Coin wants you to go to a meeting with her now to discuss something on breaking a fire wall"

Katniss nods then replies remembering Cressida say there was one "Yeah Cressida mentioned something about a meeting whilst we went into the woods, who's going to be there?"

"Me, you, Haymitch, Plutarch and Beete I think gale is out helping plan a digital map of the capitol" he replies

Katniss nods and waves goodbye to Prim and Caia before following Finnick to Coins headquarters where they will discuss this fire wall with her. They enter the room and there's a large table with Beete and Plutarch staring at a computer with Haymitch at the side lines and coin stands at the end her face stern and hard to read as she watches them work.

Haymitch then speaks up "Ahh sweetheart, just been talking about you, Plutarch here has used your little song you sang earlier to some use"

She walks over curious as to what they could have done, when he plays a video of her in district 8 and the song playing hauntingly in the background when the sentence _necklace of rope_ comes up its edited to necklace of hope as Plutarch mentions he changed for a better effect which is then congratulated by everyone in the room. Although there enthusiasm over the song which is being played to all the districts dies down as they begin to discuss a fire wall which is stopping them from entering the capitols wiring system to broadcast rebel videos.

Beete explains the problem and they come to a conclusion that the only way to stop this is by cutting the electricity by breaking the dam with would then destroy not only there water supply but lead a gateway where the systems down so its easier for betee to hack into it. The only problem is that It's risky and many lives could be lost which means coin is sceptical at first and unsure. when Beete suggests that if we keep someone talking onto to a broadcast it will keep the window open and therefore more time to hack into it. It's all really confusing and when finnick agrees to do it she's glad hoping she got out of it but then coin suggests for her to talk to snow...

"No" Katniss says almost instantly.

"Miss Everdeen when you agreed to do this you signed yourself to me which means you will do as I say" Katniss didn't like the way coin looked at her or spoke during that sentence and her whole body went on alert as she stared daggers at the president of 13. Coins silver eyes challenged her down and held a longing for power and she could tell that Coin was getting annoyed at the fact she couldn't tame Katniss, just like snow... when suddenly she had an idea, what if she made an agreement? What if she managed to change this around and save Cato? She knew Coin needed her and knew that if she ever was going to control her she had to listen to her first just like the first time she made a list of things she wanted she could always do it again right?

so in the moment Katniss replied as firmly as she could muster "I have an agreement"

Coins eyes widened with surprise and then darkened as she listened carefully to what Katniss was about to say "If you rescue Cato then I will do as you say I will come to every meeting and I'll sign every paper as long as my life isn't in danger, I kept my promise the first time so I'm sure you will have no problem agreeing this time around, so what is it? you either save Cato or you louse your Mockingjay?"

Coins face hardened and a smile spread across her face but then disappeared in an instant as she replied "I never wanted you Katniss, I wanted Cato, you know why because he knew what he could handle he was strong and awear of his strengths. he didn't let emotion get the best of him and when he did. He was wild. But now I've come to realise, even though you let your emotions control you, your both as wild as each other. Like a match being ignited in field that's saw no rain, it spreads and it burns all at once and before you know it all that's left is the ashes and cinders of what you once knew and I like that Miss Everdeen, I like that a lot"


	10. Chapter 7- Fire is Catching

_**Heyy, soo I have another chapter for you guys! it might not be as long as the last one because I've had like loads going on and really not enough time to post during the week, therefore I might start posting like once every week and mainly on the weekends though i will try and post tomorrow as well because this chapter is short and I'm not doing much tomorrow so yeah lol! Thanks again for all the reviews because I love seeing your opinions and I was sooo pleased with what you thought of the last chapter! I hope you like this one just as much and may the odds be ever in your favour ;) - Ella**_

It was cold. Her whole body shook as she watched Finnick who's eyes pierced through the cameras and into every capitol citizens heart as his monotone voice leaked all the secrets he'd so cleverly kept after every client. Although the cold made Katniss' pregnant figure shudder as she grasped onto her coat, Finnick stood still as his words drowned the capitol in more loathsome than what the broken dam is doing now.

Katniss stopped shivering after a while when Haymitch gave her another coat and sat next to her, but none of them spoke, but instead listened. She could relate to finnick in a way, that Snow taken her only last bit of freedom for the capitols own spiteful ways. Her innocence is gone now, she no longer resembles a mere child in the chains of the capitol and games she now represents a nation and the symbol of hope that led to an uprising. She is a woman, in a world where there are no choices. She's come to realise that quite often now, that no matter who you are in the districts your always owned by the capitol and It's simple really, there just a deck of cards; the ones that are picked have to play the game and the one's that aren't are still there lingering in the background waiting for their turn until they too are chosen to endure the same thing she did. But she was determind to put an end to it, so was everyone else, but Katniss itched for the moment she could see an arrow through snows heart so he could experience the physical pain she had to go through emotionally in her heart. She thought a lot about that, about getting revenge but then it would lead to other thoughts that would then plague her mind and leave it lingering in the darkness. She hated it. She got sick of her thoughts and they sometimes took her into another place and just seemed to slowly seep upwards like she can see a glimmer of hope among all the disaster, then all of a sudden take her escalating down into an untamed course of emotion not even she could understand anymore.

Breathing out heavily Katniss looked around and realised finnick's speech was coming to an end and they needed a window open for as long as possible so Beete can hack into the system properly and gain full control so they would then have constant access to the capitol broadcast as well as get the rescue team to safely get Cato and the others while Snow is distracted. She was nervous, she had to admit it, but she was also overwhelmed and couldn't wait to see Caia's face which she'd already tried to imagine so many times already when she sees her brothers face and the light that will shine in his eyes when he sees she's okay and here with him. Part of her even wanted to see Cato herself; she missed his sarcastic and self concentrated comments. However in the back of her mind part of her didn't want to face him again, she was too nervous to undergo trying to realise what he was thinking without stating an argument, that part of her didn't want to see him or have anything to do with him at all. Although she did have this very unfamiliar tugging on herself as she thought about Cato being here with her, she never wanted to admit it but she sometimes she liked his presence and how easily they could relate to some things. That way she knew she had to save him, not only for him but for their child too. Katniss then starts to think about when she found out they were going to go and rescue them which was only a couple of hours ago she immediately swept in and insisted she goes too, however even Coin, to her great shock, advised she was to stay here and that any dangers in the capitol would not be wise for her in her condition. Although it took several times of explaining for Katniss to finally agree and stay here. She's already missed out on so much, it wasn't bad thing though and anyone would prefer not to go out risking their life in the streets of the capitol, but she just felt useless and even when she went to the woods she couldn't hunt so the days became agonisingly long.

Her thoughts were soon cut out though when she realised Finnicks broadcast was finished and in return they were all now looking at her hopeful and expectant. Filled with confusion Katniss asked "What?..."

She looked at the cameras which showed gale and the others who went to help get them back and were now in the hovercraft.

Haymitch stood up and took a swig of his water which he still drank as if it was alcohol "Sweetheart, remember that little deal with Coin? yes, well in order for her to save charming and the others she needs you to talk to snow" his voice and words were still as sarcastic as always however this time it held sympathy only she noticed and her heart crumbled.

She looked around her face a vision of worry and anxiety. She knew she had to do this, it was the only way to ensure Snow was both distracted and the electrics were off which means all the security in the training centre where they'd located them to be is off giving more access to get them out. However during that time the cameras which were showing where they were going and cut out and the security system was rebooting. After taking in a deep breath Katniss looked to Finnick who gave her a slight nod as he now stood next to Haymitch.

Katniss walked into the cameras view and without hesitation asked into it "president snow?" she repeated this continuously and with every time she said it her tounge twisted and went as cold as his name like it was more deadly than the poison he was known for.

Suddenly, however, the once black screen flickered on and the high tech machinery of district 13 presented Snow, the screen enlarging his snake like eyes and showing every fleck of the snowy blue they were. She knew as long as she lived she would never forget those eyes.

His voice was as sharp as the picture as he replied confidently "I don't imagine your calling to thank me for the roses." he smiled knowingly at her and waited anticipating her reply like he already knew it.

Though her mind was blank and she had no idea what to say or so she went with her gut feeling and instead of always thinking of logic she went from her instinct...after all she was a hunter "I never asked for this" she paused rereading her words for a moment and watching snows expectant expression then continuing "I never asked to be in the games" Beete's voice quietly sounded for Boggs to hear and as much as she wanted to listen she carried on "I never asked to be the Mockingjay, I never asked to have this baby, I just wanted to save my sister and keep Cato alive" her voice felt like it was going to break and she had every intention to end the call now but her knowledge kicked in and she knew that would be running away so instead she begged and acted innocent like she was willing to give it up...and some part of her was wanting too "Please just let him go and I will stop being the mockingjay and i will disappear, you will never have to see me or my child ever again"

Snow picked up like he was eager to get his words out and she knew it was just a game. for both of them. "Miss Everdeen, You couldn't run from this anymore than you could have run from the games." there was a pause in his words as the picture began to flicker and Beete continued to talk to Boggs as he had now sucsesfully gotten through just unable to see any picture of their location.

Katniss broke the silence feeling like everything was falling apart and she was failing everybody so she said the one last thing she could think off and replied guiltily "Please you've won" she waited for a reply; for anything.

Although Snow showed no indication of what he was feeling or thinking and Katniss wanted to do the same but knew she couldn't when she felt this vunearable and desperate to help for once and to get it right. Panic. Faliure. Sadness. All three emotions crowded her all at once and she felt like she would explode she had been void of emotion for so long like she'd tried to block it out and only letting herself feel every so often, so now, her mind couldn't take it.

Just as Katniss was going to give up and sink into another whirlwind of pent up frustration and confusion, she carried on, determined to get to the sadistic president who'd given her so much grief "You've already beaten me, release Cato and take me instead" Even part of what she just said seemed too truthful to be true and she would prefer to swap with him, for him to be safe and heroic and for her to be beaten and killed so she can pay back every sin she's ever commited and end all of this to be lost in the darkness of death.

However, Snow shook his head still smirking smugly but less now like the mockingjay pouring out weak to him wasn't as satisfying as he'd imagined "Were long past the oppatunity, for a noble sacrifice"

She cut of his words "Then tell me what to do. I' always kept my promises haven't I?"

He laughed then cut in his voice bored "You said you didn't want a war and that's just what's happened! I told you what a fragile thing peace was and still, like a child, you took pleasure in breaking it. I know what you are. I know you can't see past your narrowest concerns. But please Miss Everdeen, I doubt you know what honesty is anymore"

He paused and she went over his words replaying them and going over every word analysing what he just said. She had the feeling he knew something she didn't and her whole body reacted to this, the baby now seemed like it was moving around dramatically inside of her and she hadn't realised all this time she'd been clutching her swollen self, protecting he- no hers and Catos baby from this man like her arms are were a shield and her hands rubbing soothingly as she calmed it was nothing thinking all this time she was trying to reassure herself when really it was her child. Her child that was slowly growing inside of her. When it hit her like a tonne of bricks and she knew what she had to protect this child, she knew that all this time she had been dismissing it like she was trying to forget something so obvious when she was meant to be caring for it and actually being a mother. She can't repeat the same mistake her mother did. she can't let that happen not now when she realised why everyone looks at her with sympathy, not now when her own mother looks at her with guilt and not now when Snow looks at her like shes prey.

So once again she picks up her voice with confidence and says "You asked me to become pregnant. You asked me to be in love with Cato haven't I at least done that?"

When Snow replied his voice was low and menacing like she could imagine the blood dripping from his mouth that usually comes from his breath "Miss Everdeen, Its the things we love most...That destroy us. I want you to remember that I said that. Don't you think I know your friends are in the tribute centre."

That's when Katniss' head began to spin and her whole world was crashing down on her. Gale was with them and so was Boggs, everyone was there and she couldn't afford to louse them and Cato she couldn't afford more death on her hands except her own. However in her numb state of shock she listened carefully as his next words stung to her core and her whole body shook with anxiety and pure fear as he said them "I hope you have a safe birth" and that's when he turned aound and cut of the cameror.

The whole room was panicking and bleeping lights along wih noise filled it as Beete's voice continuously questioned the teams whereabouts while Katniss clutched her stomach as all realisation hit her. In all honesty she hadn't really thought about the birth and she hadn't really thought about any of that because she didn't want to. She blocked it all out and built a wall around it one that was even thicker than the one she built around her mother.

Because Katniss knew for certain that as she clutched her stomach and fell to the floor, If she lived through the quell Snow wouldn't want to leave it at that. He wouldn't let her get away, not even after all this he would still want to make her live for the rest of her life with one thing that would always remind her of him, something that she couldn't remove, but instead had to love.

And what was better than that than he own child?

 _ **Sooo i hope you liked the chapter please review! I will try and post another tomorrow because this was really short and i really only did this because i didn't want to leave you guys in the dark. So just some questions because I'd like some oppinions first before i go ahead because im not entirely sure myself on some of the decisions on what happens next because i have no idea on what Green and Yellow would have wanted so i thought what better way than to ask her fans myself!**_

 _ **\- When do you want the child to be born? soon or later on in the story so i drag it out a tiny bit more because she is 8 months pregnant.**_

 _ **-Now the biggie question! What gender do you want it to be?**_

 _ **-What looks? so what do you want the child to look like (bearing in mind it has to have feature's Katniss and Cato have).**_

 _ **\- Should Annie be pregnant too or not? I'm just wondering because it might make it sound really like so coincidental if two girls are pregnant at more a less the same time and stages.**_

 _ **So that's all for now and I would love to see your opinions on these questions so feel free to PM me if you don't want to review and I will reply asap! Can't wait to see what you think - Ella :)**_


	11. Chapter 8- Even hope is hopeless

_**HI guys sorry I haven't updated in a while, a lots been going on, one of my relatives recently fell really Ill and I've had so much going on. I don't really wish to speak about it but I didn't want anyone to think I've just abandoned it or not carried on with it. This chapter might not be that long but I hope it's what you guys want - Ella.**_

She couldn't breath. She couldn't think. She couldn't feel.

That's what Katniss felt in the last five seconds as she watched the people who promised her everything will be okay rush around frantically there bodies turning around, there voices loud and their words fast as they spoke. She kept gripping and ungripping her hands trying to sustain some kind of conciseness because she couldn't stand the words that she'd just heard and the sickening smile that spread across _his_ face. That smile and look in his eyes was colder than his own name. Snow. She breathed in heavily, she didn't want this, she even said so, but all along she knew she had no choice or anything of that matter.

A glimmer of hope was given to her, made her think Cato was alive and well and then he's taken away from her again. He's probably been killed so they can't rescue them or worse...they've all been taken. Gale. Her one childhood best friend apart from the blonde headed girl Madge who she had heard died along with those from district 12; that gave her the precious pin that started this was gone and soon she worried Gale would join her. She would louse them both. She felt the tears she had tried to keep in for so long cascade down her cheeks, her whole body shook as she cried, all she ever wanted was peace, and maybe Snow was right...no...don't be so foolish she told herself as she tried to sustain sanity as she thought of the president she'd just encountered with.

But as always, she couldn't help it, her mind fell into darkness once again and she couldn't help but imagine herself having to tell Caia her brothers dead and for her have to endure the same pain she felt with her mother when she passed in the bombings. Caia sparked something in Katniss that was similar to the flames her sister ignited within her, the young and innocent souls of the two sisters were what kept her fire going and made her determind to fight. However this also made her realise that there were lots of Prims and Caia's and Rue's...she hadn't thought about Rue in a long time. Once she saw the little girl in her sister but like everything even Prim seemed to be changing and growing, it was like that everywhere now and it seems like it's the revolution that's caused it. It's strange how Prim now eats better food when at war than she did before when at peace. She's growing so quickly and Katniss who would never have thought this two or three years ago seems to feel as if she's missing this and soon she will be all grown up. It's the same with Caia, with her new wheelchair and the absence of her parents (her farther in particular) she seems to have regained a healthier look and certainly a more lively attitude since there first encounter and when she arrived here.

Although, as much as the two brought happiness into Katniss' boring and stressful life she still felt guilt. She felt herself feeling guilty for Cato like it was her fault he didn't make it and how he was always saving her, and she didn't like it. But Katniss couldn't help but feel that the walls she once built around him were coming down as she heard the storys Caia told about him and the proudness that shined through her voice whenever she spoke of him. Even when she was falling to her almost death after showing of her diving she still spoke with happiness and pride whenever mentioning Cato's name. It was like he was a different person and sometimes she'd wonder if he would be like this with their own child. But it would never last long and soon the once happy memories fade into guilt because she knows Caia probably won't have anymore to tell soon and what was going to keep her happy after that?

Striking back to reality she found herself in Haymitche's arms when she wound back to herself and her body ached as she cried. Her stomach was hurting and shooting pains were escalating throughout her lower abdomen and the baby seemed agitated inside of her. She started to feel tense like cramp all through her stomach and the pain was excruciating, but she didn't have the energy to panic and tell someone so she cried more the pain evident in her voice which was not only physical pain but emotional too.

Because no matter what she did she was always destined for a life of misery and that sometimes even hope felt hopeless.

* * *

It was an hour later when she resumed back to normal and now she lay dormant in the tightly packed hospital room, they said she was dehydrated which was very dangerous for her and the child, but the crying didn't help either they said and was what probably caused it to stress out and cause the pains. But they didn't tell her she was close to having a miscarage after hearing two nurses whispering about it. She now realises how serious this was and can't help but despise herself for making another thing go wrong becuase of her. It scared her how that could happen so late into the pregnancy and some kind of instinct inside of her made her heart wrench painfully at the thought of lousing something she'd tried to protect so much.

Sighing to herself she waited a while thinking to herself when a sober Haymitches walks into the room.

"Sweetheart" he sarcastically implied walking over to her "how are you and the bun in the oven?"

Although part of her could sense the humour in his voice she could tell he was genuenly concerned too.

She shook her head silently then replied "fine, just fine"

He chuckled to himself before saying "well while you were here, we have had some unexpected news"

What he just said caused her head to snap up and her body to envelop itself in a flurry of butterflies hoping that it's the news of what's been plaguing her mind since she woke up. So she asked with her eyes pleading for an answer that is good for once and not to her misfortune "what news and before you tell me is it good or bad? Is it them? Are they here!?"

Her hopes of Gale and Cato actually being alive and arriving safely go sky high and she hangs on his every word as he replies to her anticipation "you could say both really, from what you were showing earlier you could say good"

Katniss cocked her head to the side slightly, she hoped it would be the news she wanted and was growing agitated at the fact he wasn't getting to the point, she was like that sometimes, she's waited all her life and hates it when people don't just put things straight. So instead she asked bluntly "But?"

Haymitch sighed, she could tell he didn't want to tell her and it was getting her angry even if she didn't show it to the farther like figure. She didn't like how people treated her now, like she was weak and couldn't handle things.

She coaxed him again more angrily her voice sharp and demanding "Haymitch!"

"There back b-" she didn't even listen to what he said next as she jumped out of the bed carefully and was just about to start running when Haymitch grabbed her turning her around his arms holding onto the tops of hers like she was a child "Sweetheart, I know how much you've missed them and probably really want to see them now but...before you go in I want to warn you, Cato might not look the same or even be the same..."

She looked at him confusion running through her face, but she didn't care, she knew he would be different. The horrific torture he's been through would probably change anyone, Katniss never wanted to admit it but she was scared, she feared facing Cato again. She didn't want to face his cold stares that threatened her to her core and the fact she couldn't understand him, couldn't figure him out and yet he figured her out so easily. He fustrated her so much and she hated it and she hated simply not winning when he gave her home truths or was truthful with her. But something changed. When he wasn't there it was like she had no one else to take her anger out on, she had nothing else to figure out and she had no one else she would relate to like him.

So when she stared at the cameror when he was being interviewed something felt wrong like seeing him tugged on her heart the same way it did when he came and visited her room at the start of the quarter quell, when he looked ashamed and so innocent as he hated himself for doing this to her. She couldn't help but want to bring him back becuase part of her felt like she owed him and part of her realised all those times in the arena weren't fake as much as she didn't want to tell herself they were. She had to save Cato not just for her or her baby but for Caia too and seeing the same look on her face as Prim did when she was going into the games made her know for sure she couldn't stand back and let it happen. Katniss knew she wouldn't forgive herself if she did.

So she turned back to Haymitch and said quietly her voice broken from her thoughts "I know Haymitch...I know"

Thats when his arms eased of her and gave her a sympathetic look that she'd never seen him ever give her before and replied "there down with prim on ward 7"

Katniss nodded to Haymitch whilst taking off desperate to know what kind of state there in continuously repeating 'Ward 7' over and over again, she had the tendency to forget things lately but put it down to the stress of things.

Finally she saw the bold writing of ward 7 and walked in to find Gale leaning against the wall, his face was pale and his forehead was knitted together in confusion. Desperation took over her and she ran towards him shouting "GALE!" He saw her coming and pulled her into his arms tightly then set her down quickly he obviously wanted to tell her something urgently.

"I don't understand Katniss, the Capitol crafts were right there, and they let us go! They could have shot at us at anytime and instead they choose not to why?" He said his voice etched with confusion and wanting for an answer.

But she didn't know so shook her head and replied most confused and curious "I-I don't know but whatever it is...I don't like it"

Gale nodded then sighed and replied "you must be wanting to see him..." He paused his words spoken with pure loathsome "he's in there, he's just coming round after we knocked them out" he nodded towards a room where the blinds were shoot and the siloietes of people shuffled around.

Gluping down the now large ball of anxiety that's stuck in her throat Katniss walked slowly towards the door her whole body shaking with fear and the thoughts of what she will picture when she opens the door. She takes a deep breath and enters the room.

There on the bed is a frame she doesn't even recognise anymore, he's bruised badly, deep cuts travel down his arms like brushstrokes and he's shaking badly. His whole body is different, the once stocky build is almost non-existent and instead thin from starvation. She feels tears prick her eyes and blinks to pass them away, her head is banging rapidly and her heart shudders as she realises she did this to him, if it wasn't for her he would never have gotten taken by them and Coin would have him as their symbol of the rebellion, but she pushes these thoughts away and just stops dead staring for a minute or too as the people in the room gradually start working again after staring at her confused at her sudden inburst that Cato seemed oblivious too probably the sedatives that have made the once awear and alert career drowsy and uncaring.

When she shuffled closer her insides churning as she got even nearer to seeing his face. When she grabbed up the confidence she faced him, his head was down, his eyes were both black and bruised and his face was dirty with a unhealthy yellow tinge. She gulped.

When she grabbed up the confidence to say "Cato?"

He looked up his face was dreary for a second and the look of his face made her whole body louse itself so in a bottled up feeling of hate towards herself and guilt she placed her hand on his cheek being careful not to hurt him.

When something changed.

She froze her whole body went still and she almost cried as she was about to apologise and explain to him all the bottled up feelings bubbling inside of her like a shaken bottle of campaign ready to explode and bubble over the top in self pity and grief over what she's done.

Becuase as she stared into his frozen blue eyes she saw one thing radiating through them as she stared...

and it was the look of fear.


	12. Chapter 9- Believe you aren't lying

He inches backwards from her, his eyes wide with fear. Fear. Her whole body dropped inside when she saw the way he flinched as she touched his cheek with her hand that was still frozen in place. Everything around her whizzing by and even the pleas Gale, who saw the commotion, is now giving her can't stop her thoughts. It's the way he looked at her that made her insides melt down and for her own fire to turn on herself and burn her to the core.

She could handle being hated by Cato but she couldn't handle being feared by him.

Gulping down the bile rising up her throat and ignoring the swirling feeling of hurt in her stomach she looked around. Cato was now staring at her his icy orbs confused and vulnerable as he didn't move like he was waiting for her to do something to him.

The doctors and nurses were now staring in complete shock of his reaction, she could tell they knew something was wrong with him from the way they shuffled to quickly and were too nervous when she entered the room, but they didn't know what until now.

They all thought she hated him but really she was tired of hating him, and all the fuel that she made herself to hate him was now used. She now realised that as much as she wanted to hate him and felt like she still did on the outside, since the arena he gave her nothing to hate him for and it was pointless. But being here now she wishes she did hate him as much as she did at the begging and that she didn't know him or his family becuase she wouldn't be as upset at the fact he's afraid of her. Then she would have probably enjoyed the feeling of a once mighty career being afraid of her and for getting one back at him for mercilessly killing all those children. However the rebellion has changed her, her views and now she realises he was never the real enemy and becoming foe with the allie isn't very smart at all.

At the end of it all, he's just like her, they were both forced to kill even if she did it through self defence, if it came down to it, she knew she would kill pourpously so if he's a monster then she would have to be one too. But from the looks of things the once ruthless killer isn't a monster anymore but in fact the complete opposite. For it's then as her thoughts fade away with the figments of her imagination she realises they've been staring at each other for a minute now neither of them moving.

So she takes a deep breath and is prepared to take the first step into saying something; desperate to figure out what Snow has created within his broken toy.

"C-Cato..." She stutters and she sees his eyes widen and ready to react at anytime when she carries on "I'm not going to hurt you..." Her voice is broken and hoarse and she can't help but destroy herself at seeing how such a fiery and wild person like herself can be brought down to this, all these times she thought she was the scared, broken one when really it was Cato who's mind was shattered into nothing but terror.

Taking another shaky breath she pleads "please, say something, whatever's happened to you or whatever Snows said it's not true, just please, don't look at me like that"

She never thought it would come down to this and she can't handle it, she feels herself shaking as tears nearly threaten to form in her smokey eyes. She stares at him waiting for his reply.

When he opens his mouth his eyes are concentrated and confused then asks "H-how d-do I know you won't kill me?..." His voice was cracked and more broken then she'd ever heard even more broken than the times he'd spoken of Caia.

She lets out the breath she'd been subconsciously holding and opens her mouth to reply but she knows she can't answer it, she can't tell him she never would becuase she'd tried so many times, maybe not the intention to kill him after the games but certainly hurt him. She wishes even now she'd eaten those berries and none of this ever happened. That way Cato could have been the lone victor and help Caia break the chains of her paralysed reality and she could run with him and their mother who would be happy and alive too, able to never go back to their farther. Everyone would be happy then, Snow would have his victor, Caia would be cured, Cato would have his sister and mother with a house and money to live on, Panem would be in peace, and the games would go on and on...

So even if she did tell herself repeatedly everyone would be happy, the districts wouldn't, and the family's of future tributes wouldn't; along with her sister and mother who would probably decease along with her afterwards, all becuase of some berries- or what they represented she wants to tell herself.

Katniss was just about to leave the room and run away from Cato's worried eyes as he stared at her as she entered a barren world of nightmares, however picked up her confidence and replying with the only obvious answer left "I-I wouldn't kill you Cato becuase I'm...I'm carrying your child..."

The situation was too traumatising and she couldn't handle this and it fustrated her, she didn't expect this and she hates the fact she didn't. She didn't realise it would be this bad. It was the first time she'd said it aloud to him that she was carrying his child and the words that rolled of her tounge so easily scared her.

However it was his reaction that scared her more, his whole body was frozen void of emotion to tell what he was thinking and she could see his eyes slowly peeling themselves away from her face, then downwards, going slower and slower...until he reached the large bump that was now fully formed infront of her.

Then that void of emotion drifted and melted away his eyes were confused and knitted together, he looked like he was thinking it over again and again and she could tell it was too much for him, the way his bony fingers gripped his sides of the hospital gown and the shaky breaths that were realeased from his mouth as he looked towards the floor. When his head snapped up his eyes were hard but she could tell he was quivering with fear at her comment as much as she was at his reaction and the way he forgotten so easily. She's never seen Cato scared before and this made her instincts react and make her feel scared, except she was the one who made him feel this way.

Although she finds herself looking at the cold icy eyes again which didn't seem that cold all of a sudden as he glared at her accusingly and hurtfully which made her cringe with hate towards herself, when he said barely "Y-your lying...your lying...it's not mine. Your tricking me that's what you do...your going to trick me and tell me it's mine nd then kill me, y-y..." He was starting to become disorientated and nerved by her presence and she felt her self easing away her heart rapidly thumping as one of the doctors she believes is Dr Alerius puts a tranquilliser in him and after a few thirty seconds of slurred speech Cato slumps down. She holds her breath her eyes stinging with tears.

She waits a minute watching as they quickly pull up his now fragile body onto the bed.

Katniss' adreneline is still high and she can sense Gale's stare at the back of her head and had forgotten he'd come into the room through all the commotion and just witnessed everything. Wrapping her arms around herself like a shield she walked into his arms like it was double protection, when he led her out of the room she could still see Cato slumped on the bed. When a small trickle of tears flowed from her eyes she realised that the one person who understood her and she never realised it until now was gone.

And that she will never even get a chance to explain.

* * *

They wanted to keep her in the ward for a while, they said they needed to keep on eye on the baby becuase it was her last few weeks of pregnancy and couldn't afford the mishap that happened earlier that day.

It was now evening and all day Katniss had waited eager to know what's happened to Cato. Part of her wonders why she cares so much however she knew she doesn't and it's only the baby and Caia she's doing this for...but everytime she told herself this she felt like it wasn't true and that every time she thinks of him being scared of her it scares her to, more than it should.

But she doesn't really think about why she wants to know if he's okay and protect him. So she pushes that aside; which is very easy when you have two very excitable thirteen to fifteen year old girls babbling on at you.

She could honestly say Prim and Caia seemed to get on like she'd thought, they both clicked, it was like Caia's clever comments and sarcastic attitude (which reminded her so much of Cato) seemed to coincide with Prim's humour and the fact she could talk for hours and laugh at anything. The personalities that these girls once hid away shined when they were both together and there was always some sort of mischief or disturbance wherever they went.

Katniss tuned into what prim was saying only catching half of it though "...so Mrs Akinson said I was such a good nurse and I'm really exited to start this new course she's doing once the rebellions over a-" she stops and asks "Katniss are you listening!"

She turns her head then looks at her sister then rolls her eyes whilst replying "Yes Prim I'm listening" she smirks at Caia who's staring at Prim wearing the same confident smirk Cato once wore. She could say she's opened up so much since being here and Katniss now realises where her ego came from to try and show off diving, even if she didn't brag becuase of the cercumstansces she certainly was more confident around those she was familiar with.

Prim finally stopped speaking and Katniss was about to applaud her sister who was offered a job by a professional and qualified nurse when Caia butted in saying the one thing Katniss didn't want to hear "So I heard they brought Cato back! Thankyou so much Katniss, I knew you could do it! So when can I see him! Like I know he won't be the same I heard some doctors talking about some tracker thing...but please Katniss can you take me to see my brother?" Caia's tone went from excitable to deadly serious all at once and Katniss felt like everything was falling apart. How could they not inform his own sister? What did she hear the doctors saying? Tracker? Did snow install something on him to detect her whereabouts if so why...why change his personality? All these things whizzed around her mind and it was all too much her whole brain felt like it was being ripped in to. But she couldn't help but feel like the doctors wanted her to end up telling the young girl like Katniss was experienced with this stuff and wanted to tell her.

She gulped and was about to reply but found no words and instead her mouth hung open dormant of words, when she tried again and replied "I-I don't think...I don't think Cato should see you right now Caia...He's not in the greatest of shapes"

She looked closely as her eyes dimmed and face dropped. She looked down deep in thought when she replied her voice low and barely a whisper "you know...I didn't want anything to happen to him...I know what it's like to be trapped in something you don't want to be even if it's in a different context. I just wanted him safe Katniss! I just wanted my brother, I don't care how you won the games, I really don't. Becuase I love him, and y-you do too right? You love him too?" Her whole body shook as she sobbed this was the first time the girl had properly cried infront of Katniss and had been so brave before she'd radiated with this confidence that couldn't be over took even when she had to be helped just to do simple things and trapped in inconsistent happiness.

Though, Katniss didn't know what to say. She went along with it before but that was different, she didn't know them, everything's easy when you don't know someone. Therefore saying the actually four letter word to the person she'd resisted to open up to and told herself so many times she hates him was treason to her own mind, but she couldn't stand to see her cry anymore so gulping in any animosity in her voice she replied back quietly with all the love she could muster up in her voice "Yes, I do love him Caia a-and he will get better like I promised you before, I will promise you again I will try and get your brother back becuase h-he wasn't himself when I saw him...he was different and I know it's hard but you've got to understand if Cato was here he would want you to be strong just for him. So can you do that for him?"

Her baby blue eyes looked up with hidden sorrow and she sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve looking like an innocent five year old then nodded saying "I'm really glad Katniss that Cato met you. He never had anyone before you...not real anyway..."

Katniss didn't know how to respond to this she was both warmed, curious and disgusted with her own audacity to lie to Caia, however she wanted to know more about Cato's love life not knowing much and from the sounds of things even though his dashing smile and tanned body seemed to swoon every woman who laid eyes on one he never actually loved any of them. Katniss then went over all the woman who actually caused a general reaction from the boy with the icy eyes and realised all but one didn't. Clove. She hadn't thought of the girl who never misses in a long time and even after all that time still disposed that but this time there was this feeling inside of her that made her hate her even more. When Clove died Cato was devastated, didn't that mean anything? The fact he begged her not to leave him and screamed for her in anger to return whilst throwing their package back into the cournacopia.

Looking back up at Caia who was now being held in Prim's arms Katntniss asked "What about Clove? Cato wouldn't beg someone to come back to him for nothing, I always had a feeling something was going on between those two but I could never work if out..."

Caia seemed to smile at this then lost it in her sadness whilst replying "Cato owed Clove once, he had a rough day at training, he'd gotten beat pretty badly by one of the trainers and received a four. He'd just started then for a few years and was only nine or ten and wasn't really the strongest back then. He knew he'd get beat up again by dad later so he stayed at the training centre back at home late, practicing, trying to prove to himself he wasn't useless. No one knew this apart from me, well Clove was there too, she was a master at knives and her family sent her into training young, she taught him a few things then offered if he wanted to stop at hers for the night so dad couldn't get to him I think it was the first time a girl said that to him and didn't mean something else...they became friends after that, they weren't meant to go in together but they were chosen and some people even said it was on purpose to prove that it's wrong to make friends with fellow training partners and show what happens, but Cato never forgot that night and even through friendship I think he always felt like he owed Clove and was never able to repay it back."

Everything seemed to click for Katniss now and she remembers the time when he asked her if she ever knew what it was like to be in debt with someone and to never be able to repay it and she replied with peeta who had killed and broke her heart. Although it all seemed very unlikely to her and she couldn't imagine the killer clove the girl who counted how many people she'd killed after the blood bath to be so considerate but she reminds herself not to be so hypocritical becuase she didn't expect Cato to have a sister and still be willing to kill a 14 year old girl including the girl from district 8 who had so foolishly lit a fire.

Believe it or not but Katniss still remembers every face that went into her games and every tribute she'd saw die. No victor can't not even the most deadly careers.

Katniss knows that she's changed since the quell, she's less naive and definatly more awear and something tells her that this baby and Cato has had on influence on that. Although just as she's about to reply back to Caia, Finnick walks in. He's face is radiant and he has a new polished look to his eyes and they shined even brighter than she'd seen since the quater quell.

Smiling broadly he bounded up to them completely ignoring the dreary and depressing atmosphere of the room and announcing "Annie's back Katniss, I knew we could do this! But not only that!" He looks to Caia and Prim who's faces now shine a little brighter with his influence "Me and Annie are getting married, right here and now, but that isn't the best part, like of course it's good but guess what's better!" His eyes shine so bright they could almost blind you and Katniss wishes she could be this hysteric to Cato's arrival.

Buf instead she asks "what?" A smile forming on her lips and through her words. She was genuinely happy for Finnick seeing him so sad half the time made her feel pretty down too and missed his jokes and up-beat personality.

"Well...Annie is pregnant and it's mine!" He sounds like a school boy who's just won the best girl in the school for prom and sits down inbetween prim and Caia.

Prim laughs and replies "well I would hope it was yours Finnick, but seriously that's great news and I would be more than likely to help like if you need anything...oh...I could babysit! How far along is she?" Prim's nurse side it showing and Katniss since a long time laughs at her sisters eagerness to help.

"Prim! I know you want to help but really calm down, I'm sure Finnick will ask you if he needs help the baby's not even born yet" She smiles at her sister who blushes red.

But Finnick shrugs and laughs then replies "don't worry Prim I'm sure I will need your help but she's really only three months yet and I will need your help too Caia especially with that one coming too" he nods his head towards Katniss who looks away blushing furiously, she'd never spoken of her child like this before like it was a joking matter and it felt good to talk as if it's a good thing and not a punishment.

Caia soon pulls a face of disgust though and replied "No way! I'm not looking after children I'm no good with them really! I think even Haymitch could look after a child better than me and he would probably but whiskey on it's dummy just to make it sleep"

We all laugh at her comment of the mentors old habits and soon it's time for Prim and Caia to go to bed, there just leaving when Prim says she'll just be a minute and waiting for Caia and Finnick to leave she turns to Katniss.

"Are you okay?" She asks her voice full of concern.

Katniss doesn't want to trouble her sister so she answers "yes prim I'm fine, look whatever happened today can be fixed"

Prim shakes her head and Katniss knows she can see right through it "Katniss I know you lied." Her voice is firm and holds a maturity level Katniss has never heard from her sister before, it's like she's the child and Prim's the wise experienced one.

Though Katniss turns her head to the side ashamed and unable to look her in the eye then replied sadly "I know prim I didn't mean to lie to Caia, I really didn't"

She sighs then says softly this time "Katniss, I could tell from the moment you got here something changed, and something tells me that the only person your lying to now is yourself. I've got to go...Caia will be getting curious."

And with that Prim leaves Katniss and her thoughts unable to reply. So that night when she lies there she plays Prim's words over and over in her head unable to see what she means or just not wanting to is the case.

And just before she falls into the depths of her haunted dreams she whispers to the dark "The only person your lying to is yourself"

* * *

 _ **Okay soo just a week chapter because the last one was really small and I think I owed you guys for the wait too! So I hoped you liked it! I'm really enjoying writing this and simply love how it's going! I can't wait to finish becuase I have such a big plot in hand yet to come! So just a thankyou to all my reviews and support becuase that's what makes this story!**_

 _ **Now some questions just to see what I should keep or throw away! :)**_

 _ **\- Should prim die!? It's a big one and have a feeling it might change the way things turn out if she doesn't so I'm leaving it up to you guys!**_

 _ **\- Is there anything you wish to happen like any plot twists you guys really want to see happen? Becuase I do have plenty I just want to get some ideas of what you all want becuase I do write to please!**_

 _ **Believe it or not I've already started planning the final chapter of this story and in total I plan to write 20 maybe more lengthy chapters to sum it all up however I'm not really sure so I'm just going with the flow!**_

 _ **Love to know your opinions! Will update soon - Ella**_


	13. Chapter 10- Another tear to fall

It had been a whole week of pent up frustration on the hospital ward, everyone was tense including Katniss. They had furensics across the whole ward Cato was in doing tests and anything to understand his condition further than what they already knew. They found out two days after what was wrong and Dr Alerius, the main trained doctor for Cato and her, told her it was a mental misplacement formed through the use of tracker jacker venom. It had been used before he said when he used to work for the Capitol as one of Snows best Doctors he saw it all the time but curing it was a long process and hadn't been done before.

However even as Dr Alerius spoke with certainty and warmth Katniss couldn't help but feel off put towards him and seemed curious at the fact such a high up doctor who worked for snow would suddenly change sides, but she guessed everyone has their reasons.

They had been working on Cato for the whole week and during that they had done a series of tests including putting both Prim and Caia alone with him in a room in which Cato responded well to especially Caia whereas Prim he was more weary off. However so far he'd made some progress in his health and started to louse the shredded look of starvation and abuse with gaining a few pounds and his skin resuming back to normal. But there was always this far away look in his eyes. They'd started doing classes with him, realising that most of his memories of Katniss had been manipulated and they would try and make him better they'd been doing this for four days now and they said he'd made some sort of progress in his understanding.

So today Katniss was to have her second encounter with Cato and hopefully helo him gain some humanity when talking to her. No one really wanted her to at first but with her own insistence on wanting to be involved and help they eventually let her at her own cost they said. Even if so far he seemed afraid of her more than anything they couldn't risk him hating her and thrashing out in a violent way.

So now Katniss stood infront of the one way Windows staring in at Cato sitting on the bed looking widely at the chair infront of him. Unlike before he has no walls and let's his face lay innocent and the dark circles under his blue eyes make him look more vulnerable and hurt and this makes something tug on her insides like she wants to go in there and tell him it's okay but she's the reason he is like this. It's such a mind boggling game and her head hurts from thinking it over and over why and how he could end up like this but she now knows and all she can do now is step into that room and try and help him through this.

Taking a relaxing breath Katniss enters the room, with stiff legs and a long stride her eyes instantly meet Cato's and she fells her breath catch at how he looks at her calmly however his breathing was rapid like he knew he was in danger but was too tired to even care.

Stiffly sitting down and holding her extremely swollen and sore belly she sat on the chair he had once been staring longingly at. His eyes travelled and noted her every movement and she could tell he still had the same posture and wariness of a career and now it was even more so.

However it wasn't Katniss who started the conversation this time but instead Cato who without any ignition or hello he simply asked "Was it true you didn't push my sister into the water?" His voice was soft but hurt and she had never seen a side of him that seemed to confused and lost even when given an answer.

But she was taken aback by his question and she felt tears prick her eyes at the fact he would even consider this but then again he knew no better and all this was the poison talking, it was almost like he had dementia and Snow had given it him to slowly melt and destroy all of his understanding and change him into someone else who was scared more than his own sister.

katniss knew it wasn't true though so after a few seconds of shocked silence she answers quietly "yes it's true I never did that, Cato"

He nods to himself then turns to her again and asks "So is it true I-I'm the farther?"

His eyes now rest on her bulging stomach and she places a hand on it as he spoke then replies "yes" not knowing what else to say or to add to it.

He gulps at the news and she sees his Addams Apple Bob down and back up for a second until he asks another question his voice more wavering now "W-were we..." He stops "Were we ever in love?" His voice is shy and quiet and he holds tension as he speaks as if he's waiting for a certain answer he hopes isn't true.

But the question stops her thoughts midway and makes her think more than she should, becuase she can't help but stop the thought that pushes it's way to the front of her mind eating away like it shouldn't and although it felt wrong Katniss cannot help but wonder what if she said they were? What if she said it? Would it change everything or make matters worse. Just as her molestering thoughts got the better of her the reminder of snake like eyes and breath the smell of blood popped into her head and Katniss knew that she should never think of that again and should never even consider it becuase it would be something Snow would do not her. She didn't love Cato and she doesn't she tells herself and she knows that if she spends anymore time on this it will only get more complicated and make Cato more suspicious so she replies quickly "No, we weren't in love"

Catos face looks confused and wondering like it wasn't the answer he expected or maybe even hoped for? No she tells herself not wanting to think of this any longer, but she knows she has to answer his questions and doesn't dare interrupt; scared he might have another episode like last time.

when that matter is brought to a close Cato asks another question which she thought she might have to answer sooner or later but never now and Katniss seems more afraid now inside then maybe Cato is of her "So...How did we create this when we weren't in love?"

She breathes slightly not wanting to think things over too much she simply replies "Becuase we were forced to. Snow forced us to. We never wanted this, Cato, we never wanted a child or to be in love it was all Snow and if was Snow who did this to you" however to Cato her words seemed to complicated and something clicked inside of him and this wasn't that simple anymore inside his head.

When he replied he was confused and high rate "Just...please...shut up! Your lying Snow would never do that...Snow saved me from you...becuase...becuase you tried to kill me! A-and this is a trick and your doing it now!" He seemed panicked and to him everything coincided and made sense as he thrashed about whilst strapped to the chairs, Katniss wanted to calm him and stop him from hurting himself and got up only to feel a series of pains shoot through her stomach.

Gasping for breath she clutched around her stomach the same pains as last time circulating though her each one more painful than she can remember and this time she feels it. She feels herself slowly reducing into a ball as she holds onto her throbbing stomach the pain too much. Her whole body shakes and shudders with each stabbing pain. Until everything went black and the last thing she felt was the most sharpest excruciating pain she's ever felt rip into her stomach followed by a penetrating scream she's not sure if it's hers or Cato's.

* * *

She hears voices first mumbling into the chaos of people rushing around her whilst machines beep loundly into her ears. She moves her head wincing with the exertion it takes to focus on her surroundings. She sees Haymitche's face first and his pleading eyes looking down on her, then her mothers and then Effie.

She cranes her neck up to only collapse and lie back down their voices coming back into words that make sense until she's able to croak out "what happened?" Her words are spluttery and hoarse and she feels tubes sticking out of her from everywhere.

"Sweetheart, finally, we thought we'd lost you for a second" Haymitch replies his voice sketchy reminding her of gravel from drinking alcohol so much.

When she panicks remembering the pain her whole body shudders at the thought and she can't help but hear that scream echoing through her mind whenever she thinks about it from now on. She asks panicking but too sore to get up and see for herself "The...the baby?"

Effies face softenes with pity and her mothers angelic but worn face scrunched up in concern and replies smoothing out her hair like she was eight again "The baby is still here Katniss...but...we've found something that shouldn't be there"

katniss face darkens and she finds herself curious but terrified to as to what news she's about to receive so she asks "what like?"

Her mother purses her lips and licks them from being chapped and dry then replies "It seems that the pains you've been receiving in your later stages of the pregnancy seem to have been related to the same substance that snow used on Cato, we're not entirely sure what it is but it seems to have been there for a while"

katniss takes in the information slowly and registering it bit by bit and it makes her realise how much actually clicks now and how sore she's been feeling but she can't help but wonder how long this substance has been inside of her so she asks "H-how long?"

Mrs Everdeen lets out a concentrated hmm then replies "By the sounds of it just before you conceived or maybe even before in tiny doses becuase from what we found in your blood it's been there for a while circulating and doesn't seem to have effected you but definatly the baby and it was put there perpously but to work on a slow term rather than long"

katniss nods more to herself than anyone else then asks still not completely clear on her mothers last explanation "so what your saying is?" Her voice cracking from the use of it so suddenly.

However this time Haymitch replies his voice soft but stern all at the same time "What your mothers trying to say Katniss is that, if you weren't going to die in the areana then Snow was planning on Killing your child if you did get out and probably passing it as a miscarage which you were very close to receiving"

Katniss' eyes widen at the realisation and she nods her whole body elevating in shock as her hands subconsciously find her stomach. She couldn't believe Snow would not only get her pregnant to then kill her and her baby but then slowly kill it anyway in the long term. She felt sick rising to her throat but was soon pushed down when Effie replied cleverly for once "I think it explains the reason it was so hard for you to conceive at first either snow wanted to give you a challenge and make you panic or it really was natural causes I'm not sure I've never excelled at anything like science before so please do ignore me"

Mrs Everdeen nods eyes wide at the now bare faced Effie who beams but at the same time reddens at her for once intelligent connection towards the matter for her mother along with the other doctors didn't realise or simply didn't know what implications Katniss had with conceiving. Although Katniss' mind lingers as she remembers her mom mentioning the fact that the baby would definatly be affected so she asks the most tedious question yet hoping it's not the worst and praying her baby isn't affected by her own mistakes and has to live a life of complete and utter misery becuase of her so taking a deep breath she questions "You said it will definatly have effected the baby? In what way..." Her voice is shaky and she drowns out and she asks this.

Her mothers eyes soften and she grabs her daughters hand and squeezes tightly whilst saying "Katniss, honey, what I'm saying is that the baby might have developed symptoms of brain damage"

Thats when Katniss couldn't think and she couldn't feel once again as the tears fell from her eyes each one reflecting the pain and sorrow of every soul she'd ever damaged and remorse to all the people she had failed and this time one more tear fell.

 _ **hey, hope you liked the chapter and the plot twist and believe me there's many more to come becuase I love keeping you guys on the edge when writing this story! Once again all credit goes to Green and Yellow! So I hope it's not too OTT for you guys becuase I was really worried it would be with both Cato and the baby affected by the tracker jacker venom it just seemed so much like snow to do so just say weather you want me to keep things at that or use more plot twists! Thankyou once again to all the reviews and the PMs I really love your opinions and I'm so glad your enjoying it and I'm really glad you all encouraged me to carry on becuase I'm loving writing this! So now we're half way there! And now I'm half way I would like to say that I do have big plans for this and if it's that popular then I was thinking of writing almost like a seperate story like epilogue to how it ends but it's very far away yet and I have at least ten more chapters to write and probably more knowing me! I know things are going slow and so is this para but I just wanna say the next chapter is big! - Ella :)**_


	14. Writers note- do not fret!

_**Hi guys, just Incase your worried i haven't given up on this story it's just this next chapter is taking really long and I have so much to do becuase I want to get it perfect I don't have a whole day to sit down and write. Probably becuase I've just started my fourth year of high school so things are pretty tense and I have like sooo much homework and can't wait till summer vacation! So just to let you know it will be posted soon and I haven't gave up! Sorry if I exited u making u think it's another chapter or annoyed you with another writers note I just want to make it clear I'm not giving up and have great plans and determination to finish this story!**_

 _ **\- Ella :)**_


	15. Chapter11 dark pasts meet bright futures

_**Heyy, so yes I haven't updated in a while so I'm now going to smash you with this chapter which is probably the biggest and most important so far because now is when things start getting either difficult or interesting whatever you decide! So I'm really sorry for that! This chapter is defiantly happier just more...dramatic but then again since when has the Hunger Games not been? Just a note to those who are worried too - I'm really sorry about punctuation and spelling they have never been my strong points, however for those of you who are concerned or want me to go over it I will at the end when I've wrote the whole story (Which probably wont be long now because I'm already half way). This is because to me spelling doesn't matter and neither does punctuation as long as you can read the story and I don't really have the time to read over a whole chapter again and again for spelling and punctuation, so I will sort it at the end which is probably when a lot of things will change too like descriptions. Although I'm really thankful that you guys are pointing it out because its a good thing but I'm just more concentrated at writing the story atm. So I hope you enjoy - Ella :)**_

"He's getting better" The doctors tell her.

"Cato will come around soon Katniss..." Her mother tells her.

Katniss never saw it herself but Cato was getting better slowly but surely, she didn't trust the doctors at first and didn't trust the way they worked, but with her mother right beside them at all times she realised not much could go wrong. She caught herself getting too untrustworthy lately especially with people she didn't know around Cato but she simply put it down to hormones and shock.

The days were getting more and more slower and the war was dragging on with Snow not making any broadcasts or decisions everyone was on edge and feared the powerful but frail man had a plan not even coin could conquer. However troops still went out into the capitol including Gale and Finnick and people like Haymitch, Joanna, Annie and Cato who are to old or mentally unstable to join didn't, which meant there was becoming shortages of people to go and fight. This meant Coin was itching to get either Cato or Katniss onto the battlefield and unfortunately it was her Coin wanted, and Katniss even swore the woman would sometimes stare at her stomach agitatedly with the look of impatience in her eyes. Although Coin was an excellent leader for a revolution who had the ambition to stand up for power and consume it Katniss sometimes wondered weather the president wanted to end the games or simply rule them. Though Katniss knew whatever happens her child will be affected by it and she can't really do anything until after the birth, which will be relatively soon because she's in her final week.

She will be honest though, she's trembling with fear and is constantly worried because it could happen at anytime. She's saw what happens with these things, women in complete agony on her mothers kitchen table whilst she mixed herbs that made them dazed to block out the pain whilst Prim got hot water; literally putting it everywhere and did this again and again until the baby was born. Although Katniss knows it will be all professional and medical she can't help but remember all the times she'd heard the screams of pain and the many accidents though out childbirth that scared her to her core.

She often wondered constantly now what sex the baby will be, will it be a boy or a girl? And what it will look like, will it have blonde hair and blue eyes like Cato or a contrast or her brown hair and grey eyes or even a mixture of both?

She was scared and couldn't stand the feeling of when it stirred inside of her making her think she's 'about to pop' as Haymitch would say. But part of her was curious because she'd always denied herself to think of children with the Hunger Games constantly threatening any child's existence, she found it pointless to have children in the first place. It was different now because there was light at the end of the tunnel and the hope that everything will be at peace and the Hunger Games no more, but of course she didn't want children and didn't ask for this but realises now she's got to come to terms with it becuase she doubts Cato will. What's happened has happened.

She was busy thinking when Joanna walked into her room and decided to plonk herself onto the bed making it dip to the side and Katniss scowl having just managed to get comfortable due to the soreness that now passes through every muscle and bone in her body.

"You ready to pop yet or not?" Katniss rolls her eyes and scowls at the statement realising the victor from district 7 has been hanging around with Haymitch much too often.

"No, but I might if you keep bugging me" It was meant to sound teasing but her emotions got the better of her and her words sounded more like an insult.

But Joanna soon catched on and smirked at the reaction she got and laughed patronizingly whilst replying "Your still feisty even when knocked up looks like that 'fiancée' of yours isn't so fiesty now though"

Katniss' eyes widen at her cheek to mention Cato at this time but then realises they weren't exactly the best of allies in the arena and she didn't realise Johanna was helping her to get out and didn't return anything but let her suffer more in snows hands. Katniss mentally ticks of another person to suffer from her doing and along with it lets go of any reasons left to actually like herself anymore. So she then shook her head and frowned but more to herself then her.

Joanna sighs and replies lower this time her voice barely heard "Look I came here because, I know what they did to him and the truth is is that I heard his screams and pleas when you weren't there and I heard what they did to him. I just wanted you to thank him for me when he gets better, because he wasn't as bad as what he came across as...and whatever snow did to him I want you to have this" Joanna's eyes are wobbly and she wipes them as quickly as she's ever seen anyone move and before she knows it she's back to her old smirking self, the words she even said were still sinking in and Katniss wanted to know more but found she was gone in a flash.

And there lying in her hands was a small note with the stamp of a mokingjay on the front and the initials C.S underneath the word classified along with a large red stamp in the corner.

She didn't know what it was about but she was going to find out.

So with careful fingers she peeled it open and began to read the fancy ink writing...

 _Dear Cornalius Snow,_

 _As you are already awear the following tributes will be reaped within the existing pool of victors and you have requested I am to officiate in the upcoming events. However I do not wish to proceed with your following orders. I do not wish to bring harm to any of my family and therefore I would like to request another alternative. Further more I would like to pursue a meeting in order to discuss any further input on this situation. I give my appreciation and hope to proceed with an answer to my questions._

 _With my appreciation,_

 _yours sincerely_

 _Mr Cato Embry._

She feels numb as she places the letter that was once neat with formality but now folded and crumpled into her lap. Her whole face feels whiter than what it probably looks and the colour seems to have drained quicker than a hole in a water bucket. But she can't help but sit there in confusion and over play Cato's words in her head and the tone in which he spoke towards Snow. She'd only ever saw and actually heard him speak to snow once when they were crowned victors and he never really conflicted any emotion towards him, whereas now, in this letter he seems like he's been thretened so much he would gladly step down to him but also underlying that everything seems to be aggressive and forceful in a formative kind of way, even his handwriting she can tell was written with pure loathsome thankfully toned down by the swirls and flow of his handwriting that was so delicate and fancy.

However Katniss shoved that to the back of her mind as she wondered, what did Cato mean? He states in the letter ' _I am to officiate in the upcoming events'_ does this mean Cato was forced to take part in the quater quell and was boldly standing up for himself? Did he know all along what would happen and didn't volunteer for the reasons he spoke off?

But she couldn't block out the comment that made her mind knot itself within each other as she read the most key lines over and over again ' _I would like to request another alternative'_ what was Cato bargaining with snow for? Was he protecting Caia or was he protecting her? Her mind seemed to twist itself so much it began to hurt but she couldn't stop rearranging her thoughts and processing each word and diluting them with different points of view until she comes to the conclusion, what if Snow wanted Cato to volunteer, what if he forced him too? From what the letter says she could almost definitely say yes which strangely enough made her whole body fall and her gut to fill with betrayal was all that protecting and sharing food an act after all, even after she'd just convinced herself it wasn't?

she sighed and decided not to jump to conclusions and deciding that it was probably a misunderstanding, for all she knew johannah could have faked this letter to get revenge. She wasn't going to let a note get the better of her but she was still curious to find out where it had come from and what it actually meant.

Bored out of her wits Katniss decided to retire from her bed and visit Haymitch however she soon saw he was preoccupied with Johanna and she'd already had enough with her petty comments. So instead she decided to visit prim.

Katniss was walking down aisle 6 completely adamant on finding prim when she found herself bumping into somebody her whole body was about to fall and she gripped her eyes shut ready for the blow when she felt a pair of hands around her waist just catching her in time before she fell to the floor.

She opened her eyes and as she did they met a pair of blue ones.

Cato.

His mouth was partly open like he was about to say something and his whole face was pale as he gripped the sides of her. Her face held the same expression waiting for him to freak out or anything but he didn't and this had to have been there very first encounter where Cato didn't completely freak out.

"Sorry" Katniss mumbled breaking the silence and looking down.

He shook his head and gulped his Adam's apple bobing down and back up again.

"It's okay." He sounded nervous and catious as he spoke but Katniss was just glad he wasn't freaking out.

"Urr...Thanks for catching me" she replied the awkwardness growing thick around them like smog.

He looked down and released his hands and rubbed the back of his neck whilst stating "you nearly had quite the fall there" his voice is cold and still holds the same sturdiness it did before but this time it was cautious.

"yeah" she smiles weakly but remembers the letter and anger sweeps through her so instead replys "Couldn't have me falling now. We wouldn't want all our 'work' going to waste now would we?"

He seems to become agitated and unamused by her comment becuase he stares blankly at her whilst replying "I think we need to talk"

She looks baffled for a moment at the fact he'd want to talk and she can't help but wonder if it's about the letter. Part of her hopes he will explain himself and all this will just be one big misunderstanding but then another part of her tells herself she's not meant to know a thing about this letter and how was Cato if he can hardly remember anything?

Nodding slowly he keeps his straight face and tells her to follow him in which she does and they find themselves in one of the meeting rooms that are blocked out so no one can hear them.

"So why are we here for?" She asks raising an eyebrow her voice serious.

"I want to ask why you were like that out there, and why you have such a big problem with this" he replies referring to her stomach whilst pointing to it, his voice trying to regain that fierceness it once had but fear still lay there dormant and she could tell he was battling it.

This was not the Cato she knew.

The anger that was there before slowly diminished so she nods then replies "It doesn't matter It was just...hormones" but she wasn't going to tell him the real reason and instead lies the best she can without him catching on.

He nods and let's what she just said linger in this mind and she felt herself getting uncomfortable Incase he knew she was lying, she wasn't good at hiding things. When he replies "They told me it was Snow who made us do it, is that why you were so angry?" did he realise she was lying? Or simply implying another reason?

She seems to scowl at this and look down and then replied bitterly being partly truthful "Partly he's the one who made me like this" she points to her stomach "and you of course but all you did was something you were forced to do. Believe me I would rather be pregnant than louse prim or see someone like your sister in the games"

"I think you told me that last time, I came into your room becuase I wanted to see you I felt bad and you said all I did was something I was forced to do" he looks at her intently as if he's trying to read what she's thinking.

She nods remembering there encounter in her room when he stomach was less swollen and they lived in regret and fear whereas now they lived in hope.

she smiles slightly at the sides of her mouth and replies "Yeah I did. How're things for you?"

"Frustrating" is all he replies his voice blunt and almost angry but not at her and she's taken aback at his response.

"I understand" is all she says.

He frowns at this clearly disappointed with her answer and replies "No you really don't"

And after a minute of staring at each other trying to figure the other out once again they both part and she goes out to find prim.

* * *

She finds Prim with Caia and Finick the three of them laughing at something Katniss cannot see. She's walking over to them smiling when the three go silent and snigger as they look up at her.

"What are you three laughing about?" She asks curiously sitting on the bed whilst they sit on the floor Caia proped up against the side table for support in a circle in Finicks room.

Caia sniggers and gets out a red light and flashes it on the wall, that's when a butter cup jumps out from under the bed and tries to catch it but everytime he pounces she moves it away. They are all laughing as the cats stupidity when she passes it to prim whilst explaining to Katniss that Finick found it whilst searching through the draws and turned it on the wrong way around so the light was on his body causing buttercup to pounce on him when prim runs in after chasing him round the ward becuase he got set louse.

They are all laughing hysterically at the cat and the things they make it do when Katniss' smile fades and she no longer sees a cat and it's foolishness into thinking its prey but herself. She and Cato being stupidly led and tricked into playing a game they will never actually win and she realised it was all a game she was simply a cat being teased thinking it will finally get it's prize (the red light a prize) that she chased for it only to be taken away again and moved further away.

Suddenly Katniss felt angry and her blood boiled at the thought and without thinking she snapped at Prim "Put it down Prim!"

Everyone stopped laughing and the little girl looked sharply at Katniss her face like a dear in headlights "Katniss it's only a game...you don't even like butter cup"

However Katniss can't help but get the image of Snow out of her head and his games and she can't stand the thought of it she she demands once again her voice ruthless "Just stop it prim. Put the light away"

she shaked her head but something tells her it's more out of disbelief and she's shocked her sister could act this way and just when Katniss thinks her sister will back down and put it away as usual her expression changes to one of determination like she was a challenge. Katniss held that face once.

"No. We're enjoying it. You can't keep letting Snow control your past Katniss"

She stares at her sister who doesn't seem 13 and quite so innocent any longer and part of her wants to blame Caia for the change in her attitude knowing full well she has a rebellious streak and the same attitude Cato once had but instead she replies "I said stop it Prim there's a reason to that. Your teasing that cat the same way Snow did with me do you realise that? Do you realise the anger and pain I went through everyday to protect you? We're picking on a cat a small innocent and weak cat it's exactly the same as picking on a small innocent and weak district 12 girl who made some pretty stupid mistakes that led to her winning!"

Prim was about to reply when her face softened and she realised he mistake and she made her face bright red while she spoke softly "Sorry Ka-" however the blonde haired girl never finished her apology.

Becuase just at that moment there was the loudest gasp of pain followed by a scream of agony that echoed throughout the whole hospital ward.

* * *

Katniss clutched her stomach, pain was slowly washing throughout her lower abdomen and her waters had burst. Her eyes were wide and so were Caia's and Finicks however Prim's held nothing but determination after a few seconds of shock and before she knew it her sister was striding into action.

More doctors and nurses arrived at the screams and already knew what they meant, there's weren't the screams of any knife or injury but of a birth about to take place. Suddenly they were all working in action moving her onto the bed and brining equipment and towels to support her.

However all Katniss could feel was the constant pains radiating throughout her causing her to wince and curl upwards. She couldn't stand it. It was happening and she was scared more than she'd been in the arena.

She saw a nurse look towards Katniss and face her whilst calmly asking her to move into a comfortable position whilst placing towels around her and making sure she was okay with everything they were doing. She kept doubling over in pain and contraction after contraction radiated through her lower abdomen causing her to scrunch up from pain and jolt back down again.

She was breathing rapidly and she knew she couldn't do this alone so in the clearest voice she could muster up she asked "M-my mother?"

The young nurse who asked her to get in a comfortable position smiled warmly and said ruefully "Your mother isn't here sweetie she's in another district helping the wounded, is there anyone else you would like to help? I don't mind holding your hand but I can't during the birth becuase I've got to do my job, many women have done this alone though so I wouldn't worry"

katniss just shook her head and gasping in pain she knew they didn't want Prim in here having told her to leave saying this sort of situation isn't for fourteen year old girls to her disappointment saying she'd seen it before and could handle it.

When the nurse held her hand for a few moments when she no longer could and left Katniss there for her to grip onto the bed sheets gasping for breath as each contraction came worse than the one before.

Eventually she found herself gripping her eyes shut and almost fading away with the pain when she heard voices asking her to open her eyes becuase if she doesn't now she never will. So using all her strength she did and she was about to cry out in pain when a hand took hers and silenced her.

She took one look at the mysterious hand expecting Gale or Haymitch but instead she found Cato.

She was about to question his presence and tell him to get out not wanting the man who got her into this to see her in this state; vulnerable and in pain worse than she's ever experienced in any arena. So she concentrated on the rough hand closing in on hers and the faint scars that she traced with her fingers scared to grip to hard Incase he got angry or had another episode.

But she then heard a voice barely a whisper and shuddered at the contact of breath near her ear "Just grip as hard as you can...it's okay"

she turned her head looking straight into his eyes the intensity building as his eyes showed something she'd never seen before and the nervousness of them and how intimidated he was by the situation something not even career training prepared him for and it seems he had no idea if what he was doing was right.

But in that moment she blocked out the pain and let her walls down purely scared out of her mind from the pain she's experiencing and whispers back "I-I don't think I can anymore"

He furrowed his brows and shook his head and replied "Of course you can. You got through the arena and you weren't made for that, you were made for this though. Just grip my hand. Career training 105 never give up no matter what sitation"

If she wasn't in so much pain she would have laughed at his way of making a birth sound like a session on learning to be a career but she found herself replying not so convinced she could pull through whilst gritting through the pain as she asked "H-how?" And she felt tears swell up in her eyes and her breaths come out in short gasps.

When just before the next contraction was about to come he whispered "Becuase were the wild ones, remember?"

And that's all she needed to give her the strength she needed to pull through this.


	16. Chapter 12- The spark in our lives

_**Hi guys, sorry for the late updates recently I've got a lot of things going on and I really hope none of you haven't gave up with this story because I'm still her and I'm gonna still keep on writing weather I've got time or not. So sorry this is a short chapter but I made sure to make it happier than the rest of the story because I think it needed that uplift.**_

 _ **Hope you guys enjoy - Ella :)**_

She always knew it wouldn't be easy. She knew that if she would let this happen she wouldn't be able to deal with it. But something told her this time she could. She lay there completely numb from the exertion and her whole body felt violated more than it ever had been before. But something about the way she felt relief when she heard the first cries of a smaller more angelic life moved her. In which Her hand had instantly fell limp in Cato's which had been practically assassinated with claw marks and bruises.

Unlike Katniss he just stared at her his sharp blue eyes seeping into the side of her head as she stared straight ahead and then turning back to the small cries and with a deep breath he asked "what is it? Is there something wrong?"

For some reason the nurses were taking too long and Katniss could feel Cato's concern within herself, because she knew there could be a chance the child was disabled and it scared her to her core which surprised her, having never felt the feeling of a mothers love, maybe only with prim. But the thought of the child being physically unstable because of her would kill her mentally.

However at Cato's voice they turned around and nodded to the nurse who had been really kind from the start, who then smiled kindly and said "We're just doing a check, usual stuff really, like weight, height and heart rate. There's nothing to worry about Mr Embry."

Katniss looked at Cato who seemed slightly agitated at the fact he wasn't in charge or control for a change and seemed really put out. She could tell he wasn't the same though he constantly shifted his feet and mumbled under his breath like he was talking to someone no one else could see. However, at this time, he seemed like Cato just more uncomfortable and maybe even nervous- which shocked her greatly. Normally he didn't show emotions and seeing it now turned something within her and made her smile for only a second.

After about five minutes of extensive checks the nurse turned around and was smiling brightly as she held a small bundle of fabric that held inside her and Cato's creation. She was nervous, never thought of this moment before, and now it was here she had no idea how to react so instead millions of emotions washed over her all at once.

So after a few seconds she took a deep breath and prepared herself for the news she was about to receive. She never imagined this would be her and never in a million years imagined it would be with him, the man who she hated dearly but had grown slightly closer to. It was strange really. She was convinced herself so often she hated him but could never say it out loud now, not like she could before. Something had changed she knew that but she would never admit it, not really, they were just being civil, that was it.

The nurse edged closer which made Katniss curious even more as to what the gender was never really having thought about it much when she exclaimed "Congratulations! It's a boy!"

Katniss' eyes were wide and she felt a warmth spread throughout her chest that she'd never felt before her hands were clammy and her head hurt, she was nervous, exhausted and every other feeling related to being uncomfortable. She didn't know if she should cry or smile. She didn't want a child, she didn't want to know if it was a boy or girl or if it had blonde hair or grey eyes, she wanted to reject it and push it to the side. But she couldn't. All these hated feelings she'd bottled up slowly drifted away and all that fog that had settled, the only thing she ever knew, seemed to clear and fill with warmth and hope. This was her glimmer of light and all this time she was so afraid to open her eyes and see it. Would it look like her or would it look like Cato? Could she love and look at her child if it did look like him? The questions she'd deprived herself to think off for so long seemed to seep into her mind. Now was when those questions were answered.

So with careful and shaky arms she reached out and held the small bundle.

Staring down at the child her eyes traced his every feature and every one seemed to be perfect. It was the look of pure innocence. His hair was a sandy blonde that curled at the ends just like hers does, and his eyes were a clear crystal blue as he stared at her with wonder. She stared back at the familiar eyes and she realised he resembled Cato so much except for having her nose and olive skin along with her slight curly ends. It nerved her, having to look at her child who resembled she man she was convinced she hated so much, but it also made her smile at the fact it was unexpected. Her questions were answered. He didn't have to look like her for her to love him because he was still be hers and always will be- but he will always be Cato's too. But she had presumed it would always look like her if she did even think about it's looks, and hadn't really wondered any further so the surprise was nice and unexpected which she was used to now, things not going how she wanted, and maybe if they did it would strike a nerve in her make her feel as if something was wrong. Katniss never imagined or thought she could look at a child so similar as her.

She didn't realise how much she was smiling until a deep voice asked with slight hesitation "Can I hold him?"

It was a simple request and part of her wanted to hold onto him, instincts she didn't even know she had, but she knew he was the farther and deserved to hold his child, so with caution and shaky arms from exhaustion and adrenaline bottled up she placed the youngster into his arms.

Cato let out a shaky breath he'd been holding as he stared at the child and gulping in afterwards and then looked up and almost smirked whilst remarking "He looks like me. What a relief he picked up the good genes"

Katniss rolled her eyes at the remark at such a time but smiled at how dazzled he looked by it and realised the career face and attitude he once held was shredding away into the same look he gave Caia. His once hard expression and furrowed brows seemed to rest peacefully just the way they did when he was sleeping and he smiled a smile she had never seen him smile before. Her stomach churned with butterflies as she stared at him not realising how effected she was by it and without even knowing it she felt tears slowly making there way down her hot face.

She wanted to slap herself and tell herself to stop showing her emotions in front of this career. Her enemy. But she was tired off trying to hide everything and tired off holding her fierce and fiery exterior and she couldn't contain the fact she was upset, but happy upset, and she thinks it's the first time she's ever cried because she's happy before. Even winning the games she was never that happy; she knew she never really won and she never really won her freedom either but instead she gave it away for a house and money she didn't even want.

But she shook that from her mind reminding herself it wasn't the time for thoughts like that and she smiled as she wiped away her tears.

When Cato looked up at her his grin fading as he saw she was crying then asked or rather more stated "your crying?"

"It's just hormones" she replied quietly which was probably true but couldn't help but feel part of it was actually her reaction and not what her body told her to react like.

But Cato didn't seem the least bit worried and shrugged it off instead and asked "What about names?"

She didn't realise he'd be so keen to pick a name already herself never having thought about it so she asked whilst contemplating "urm...I hadn't really thought about it. But I guess you have?"

He shook his head then said "no I haven't I never really wanted to think about it. I never wanted kids. But it's weird he looks so much like me and Caia..."

Katniss smiled slightly then replied "I don't really feel like picking a name out now if I'm honest"

It was true. She wasn't going to pick out a name now because he wanted too it was her child as well as his and felt it was too soon and being in so much pain and that exhausted it wasn't her biggest concern because she'd yet have to go through the 'after birth' yet which Cato didn't seem to realise because he was frowning once again.

"I think the child deserves a name I'm not going to just keep calling it 'him' all the time" he replied sharply disappointment held within his voice.

"Yes and if you were conscious for the last four hours you might have realised I just gave birth and if you don't mind I don't feel like picking a name yet. I'm exhausted, it's a lot more extensive than any career training if you'd realise that!" She replied frustrated he couldn't see past the fact something like this wasn't a part of training she could recover from in an instant, but instead a change that has completely altered her body.

She could see he wanted to react in anger but he seemed to control it, to her surprise, and instead shifted the bundle in his arms and replied softly "I know. Sorry"

She was shocked. She'd never heard him properly apologise, ever, and hearing it she had to give a double take never hearing such emotion held within his voice towards her.

She sighed then replied quietly "We can pick a name out in the morning, please?" She suggested

He nodded then smiled whilst looking at the small child in his arms and looked up at her whilst about to ask "Can...never mind" he drifted off and it brought back a memory of on the train when he wanted to tell her something which she will never know what about even today, because she never was tempted to know, whereas this time she was.

So she pushed him on and asked "What?"

He sighed deeply then asked for a second time "Can he stay with me for a while?"

She didn't know what to say, she knew it was his child and was unlikely he would hurt it but part off her wanted him in her own sight and wanted to make sure he was alright. She was so used to protecting people it was hard to let go. He was so young too. But what was the point in that? Not trusting anyone because she felt it was her responsibility to protect them? She couldn't protect her child from their farther because deep down, really far down, she knew she didn't need to. She needed to trust him. She knew that from the start.

So with slight hesitation within her voice she replied "fine but...be careful"

He nodded then replied "I will. I promise"

And then they were out of her sight.


	17. Chapter 13- What he didn't know

_**Heyy guys, okay so I felt really bad the last chapter was really short but I don't wanna do really long chapters on stuff that's not really relevant, so, I thought I'd do another chapter as soon as I can. I know this one is only short too but I plan on doing another chapter again tomorrow which is longer but it may jump a bit into a few days or a week because I want to get things moving again.**_

 _ **I really hope your all enjoying the story so far because I certainly am writing it now I've finally got it all together and brining all the threads into one piece of rope.**_

 _ **I feel really motivated at the minute and I wanted to say thanks to my cousin Lauren who's reading this too because she's given me soo much inspiration towards this and made me relate Prim and Caia to our friendship! I think this is a big part in the story because Prim and Caia are the ones who bring everyone together. The story of two girls who are meant to be enemy's but instead see each other like sisters.**_

 _ **Sorry I'm going on a bit but I also wanna thank all my reviews you all mean so much! Your all giving me so much inspiration and I'm so glad more and more people are begging to read it!**_

 _ **I can't wait to get things going more on this story and start inserting my own ideas into it! So thankyou green and yellow because your writing is amazing and I really hope you don't mind me finishing it.**_

 _ **Thankyou all so much!**_

He couldn't believe it. He was a dad. He never really thought about it much, but the realisation of what has occurred hit him harder than any trainee has. He never wanted kids and never in a million years with Katniss. She was unique he will say that and he's always had this fascination that want's to get to know her but feels every time he does his mind tells him better, because she's his enemy right? She's the one who should be ten foot under but instead she's given him his first child...so why is it he can't hate her? Is it because she is the mother of his child? Probably. It's just instincts.

Something about her just seems to know all the buttons to push though, frustrating him so much it's unbearable not to scream at her to her shut up. He wants to hate her because she seems to annoy him so much, but he's never been able to hate her though. But instead, she just ignites him with the flame she carries around her like a bubble not wanting anyone to get too close to her. But part of him respects that, the fact she won't play the game and won't let anyone get in her way. The fact she has always been able to see and he's always been blinded thinking what he was doing wasn't only going to save his sister but make hers and his life better too. Obviously it hasn't.

Cato has always just wanted his sister safe and to be better again so she can run away from him. His farther. He's caused nothing but grief towards everyone in the family, he's stolen anything they once had and Cato hates him for that. He hates him more than he ever hated Katniss at the start of the games. But yet Katniss knows so much about him, it feels, and he knows so little about her, she always was good at hiding stuff weather it was herself in the games or her past and emotions. But so has he. He never wanted to argue with her or have to be so cold towards her but with Katniss it seems like a never ending battle and figuring her out seemed harder than just simply blanking her out. He couldn't trust her if she never trusted him so he tried his hardest to keep within himself. If he didn't then he'd probably got angry and he couldn't afford to get angry especially not in the quater quell.

He had to protect his son.

He never asked for this child, he never wanted it either but unlike Katniss Cato seems to realise the child was never asked to be born in this world either. Part of him believes in what they told them all those years, the reason we train is so we can protect those who are too young to participate and bring honour to the district and so with it we either die for their 'freedom' or we live for their 'wealth and honour'. He couldn't let a younger life die and he couldn't kill Katniss and defiantly not their child. It would be like killing Caia.

But he doesn't understand it, with most people in his life being cold and collected seemed to do the job help him control them and make sure they stay in line. Mostly his past girlfriends especially Louise. She was his longest girlfriend and he'd had no intention on knowing her, but rather proving to his friends he could get the most feistiest girl and most beautiful quite frankly and make her his. He did it, but with great concenquences, Louise was never the same again. She became weak and at the time boring to him and once his game was over he dumped her and never really had a real relationship after that. That was before he didn't realise how pathetic games were. Louise was nothing like Katniss though she was feisty whereas Katniss is fiery the two are completely different. Louise was always looking for competition whereas Katniss was never looking for anything at all.

But then he reminds himself once again he's comparing her. He shouldn't like Katniss or want to get to know her. He should shut her out and ignore her, he wants to, but everytime he saw the fear in her eyes and what he'd done to her he couldn't contain himself. It was complicated and he wanted to sort things so badly but everytime he did try he remembered who she was. He wouldn't ever tell anyone, ever, but it scared him slightly the fact he couldn't contain her and keep her in control, but part of him didn't want to control her because he actually found himself drawn to her fire. He wanted to see it burn brighter and brighter not only for himself but to get back at Snow too. President Snow wanted him to tame her, but then that made him not want to even more. The president knew what Cato was like, somehow, he wanted him to tame her and put out her fire but everytime he thought about it he didn't want to.

He was blinded by anger from her so often and felt sometimes he couldn't contain it and just wanted to scream at her tell her that whatever she's saying isn't right and she's stupid for ever thinking she was! He was so confused because then other times, he'd find him simmering down and remembering he had to be there for her, and like the time on the beach he'd look at her and see nothing but pure fear and when she said she'd help his sister, he couldn't contain himself, because he wanted to kiss her. She'd let her walls down and for a split second through all that anger he saw pain and he'd let his walls down too. But he felt too vulnerable and when she turned around and made another sarcastic and blunt comment all that he'd just shown her seemed like nothing.

But he also respects her; she spared his life and he was in debt, he still feels like he owes her and every time he tries to be okay back to her she seems to block him out. It's frustrating. He doesn't want her to feel like he's done what he needed to do and get her pregnant and is then leaving her to it, because really he hasn't done his part and needs to be there more than ever now. He needs to be there for their child. Like that time at the parade when he said it's his as well as hers and It's true and always will be, because it is his son and he isn't going to leave him. He knows what having a farther never there and always looking down on you feels like and he's determined not to become the same. He's not his farther. He never will be.

Cato's farther was never there for him and when he was he beat him until it he developed nothing but hate and pure coolness towards everyone but a precious few who deserved his respect. He knew how to upset him more when he was younger he'd let him beat him, but then his farther would only beat him more because of it, saying he was weak...but then one time when he was fourteen he stopped all because off one stupid thought that completely changed him forever.

**flashback**

 _Cato was back from training later than usual, he'd been trading skills with clove again, but he wouldn't tell his father that. He was getting better now, building up more muscle and regaining the 'career look' and he was proud of himself. He was learning how to use a sword, after many hours of long training just learning how to hold it properly and how to hold his posture when doing so meant he was finally beggining to do the good stuff, the actuall fighting just like Hayden was. His best friend, Hayden, is amazing at using a sword and has been also giving him tips but being sixteen and so near to the end stages of being a career he hardly had time for Cato anymore. He was just a small fourteen year old tribute who was getting in his way now not his buddy he once saved from a four hour detention and near suspension. But that's another story._

 _He'd had a long day today though and he knew as soon as he walked through that door his day was going to be even longer. He was already so fed up and tired he guessed being late wouldn't help his farther (weather he was training or not) he didn't like Cato being out past his own curfew his farther sat at 2 minutes to 9 just to test him see if he gets there exactly on time._

 _So dragging his feet along, he prepared himself for what he was about to witness or more like participate in and slowly knocked on the door. He took a deep breath._

 _The door swung open and his farther stood there and he glanced at his face for a second wich held up the usual dissapointed glare as anger flourished within him, his nostrils flared, eyebrows hard and eyes cold with disgrace before he grabbed him. He took a fist of his t-shirt and pulled him in whilst closing the door. He shoved him up against the wall and growled "Why are you fucking late this time?"_

 _Cato wasn't going to answer though, his farther or rather the man he claimed was his farther didn't deserve one. So instead he turned his head to the side, in which he saw Caia's pleading eyes begging it all to stop as she sat there in her wheelchair she was still adapting to before looking away._

 _But the image soon left his mind as his farther grabbed his sons face and forced him to look at him Cato grinding his teeth together and turning his head trying his best to shrug him off when he said "Answer me boy, now, or she will answer for me"_

 _Cato felt anger. How dare he threaten him from his sister it wasn't the first time and certainly wouldn't be the last but this time it was all too much he'd gone to far. His blood boiled but turned icy cold all at the same time and he felt himself wanting to rip his throat out so he can't ever say comments like that again about her, that would be some good revenge he thought to himself. His sister knew what he did after school weather it was being with clove, Hayden or some other girl and somehow his farther knew that._

 _Anger he'd never felt before or braved to use rushed through him and he felt every bit of hate surging up bubling into his brain and begging him to be used to pound every bit odd hatred he'd every given out to him back to him. But that's if he dared to and this time he did._

 _So with his last bits of strength he grabbed his farther, adrenaline and complete confidence running through his veins and into his fists as he remembers pulling back and returning every hateful thing he's experienced into it and every punch for every punch he's ever received from him, it it still didn't feel enough, if he could he probably would have stabbed him until he was begging him to take it back and for him too use,him like a dummy in the training centre. To swing his sword with all the force he could muster and smack it into his body crunching the bones and killing every last bit off the life he doesn't deserve. He's never felt more anger raging throughout him than ever before and it wasn't going to make him give up until he realised his dad wasn't hitting him back he just stared slightly crazed and limp. He let him._

 _So he stopped staring confused expectig him to completely knock the shit out of him, but he didn't, and instead whilst half conscious and a sickly smirk on his face he dribbled "Well done son. You've become a man"_

 _And then Cato stopped and shook his head his whole mind now realising all that he's done even if he did feel all of if was right he know for a fact it wasn't him and stated bluntly back to him his voice slowly cracking within realisation "I-I've become you"_

 _His farther wanted him to react like that. He'd waited so long until he snapped and when he did he never realised...he'd had the same exact thoughts as him._

 _**End of flashback**_

He shuddered and shook the memory from his mind every inch of it crawling under his skin and waiting to be awakened. But he was okay, his farther wasn't here was he? No they said he wasn't and neither was his mom...what happened to her? Is she with him...he hopes not. He pulled his little boy close for comfort subconsciously he didn't even realise he could get comfort from such a small being.

He is a farther now, and won't ever repeat the same mistakes. So even now as he stares at him he can't believe how much he looks like him. He just can't stop staring. Cato always wanted a brother, someone who was interested in playing sword instead of just swimming like his sister was. Swimming was okay but it was different he wanted someone he could play 'hunger games' with and go on adventures. Someone who he could teach all the games he used to play, of course a brother always seemed like a good idea but of course as he grew older his hopes got less and less as he lost most of his spirit to his career attitude, however there was a split second where he would imagine himself with a child of his own, but then as sudden as it would come it would end even faster. He couldn't let his emotions get the better off him.

He'd been looking after their child all night and he could say he hardly cried. He didn't really know what to do so he was thankful for that and so now he's making his way down to Prim and Caia to show them both their new nephew.

He walked down the wards as everyone noticed and stopped some for minutes and some for seconds as they saw him, it was unusual and for once he wished all the attention wasn't focused on him. No one had saw the baby yet only heard rumour of the gender and everyone wanted to know the Mockingjays child and seemed very curious as to why the 'ruthless killer' wasn't so 'ruthless' anymore and instead walked down the corridors like he was showing off pride possession which he probably was in a way but it was his and katniss' pride possession really. It was weird she was a mother and he was a farther.

He turned a corner and there they were they were both talking about something and seemed to be laughing but Prim seemed to be not as happy as Caia and he wondered why. She reminding him off Caia so much it was like they were sisters.

"Hi" He said quietly making both the girls to turn around and Caia's face to light up.

But she didn't notice the bundle at first and when she did she screamed in delight with prim as she wheeled herself over and squeeled in delight with Prim who rushed over too they more like screamed to Cato's ears "Oh my gosh, Prim, look were aunties! Aren't they just the cutest! Cato is it a boy or a girl? It looks like a boy!"

Then prim joined in but not as enthusiastic as her but still joy ridden "Katniss should be so happy because he's so adorable! Awh"

He rolled his eyes at his sisters reaction, why were girls her age all like that? Is it a district two thing because Prim never seems to react as majorly as that? Oh well, so instead he replied "It's a boy, and he looks exactly like me which I was so thankful for. not that I would mind anyway" He gave a signature smile of pearly teeth but his sister just smirked as prim seemed unimpressed and raised an eyebrow instead in mock disapproval.

"My sister is really pretty, you don't know how lucky you are! Every boy in the district wanted her...and as you can see" she looked down at him next to Caia's face and continued "he has my sisters curly hair and her olive skin so he's a perfect contrast between the two"

Cato sighed through his smirk whilst replying "well I never said your sister wasn't pretty, Prim, I have no doubts every boy wanted her. But I guess your right he is a contrast but he has my main features."

Prim nodded and laughed in return before signing and becoming more worried "I know, I just hope Katniss is happy, was she happy Cato? I knew she never wanted kids because she told me this once that Gale wanted kids but with her but...never mind, it's the past, I just want her to be happy. We were kinda arguing before she went into labour and I felt really bad I wanted to go and see her with mom but she said it would be best if I stayed here because she needed time, I just hope she's not angry and realises how lucky she is to have him because he's beautiful"

Caia smiled warmly at prim then held her hand and said concerned "I'm sure she will be happy. I think Katniss has forgiven you Prim you just need to understand giving birth isn't easy, and she's probably in a right sate, even if it's been a day and you've seen it all before, It's different when it's your own sister, because there not a patient but a family member"

Cato smiled proudly at how grown up and mature Caia could be at times before he looked at the young girl then said "Well she seemed pretty happy to me...she didn't want to have him out of her sight and I could tell that. She's used to protecting people, your sister"

Prim nodded but then smiled whilst asking "What's his name?"

Cato huffed then replied "Well Katniss doesn't want to pick one yet"

Caia jumped up as much as she could in excitement in her chair then said "You haven't picked a name?...hmm, any ideas? If not- Oh my gosh, Cato we could help you choose one!"

He laughed at his sisters eagerness to pick a name like it was a doll before he shook his head, as much as he wanted his little sister to help him he knew it was unfair on Katniss and part of him really wanted to pick a name with her for him.

So he replied "no Caia as much as I'd want you too I think it would be best if we leave it until Katniss is here too because knowing you you'd pick out something like Dazzle as if he's a doll" this made Prim giggle whilst Caia sent a playful glare at her.

She nods in understanding then mumbled a "I suppose" and crossing her arms and looking down slightly disappointed like she always does when she's in a mood with him but then goes back to hers usual self within a minute or two which makes him chuckle.

When prim pleads her eyes bright and her voice high pitched and exited once again "Ooohh can I hold him!?"

Caia immediately groans and says "Arrhh I wanted to hold him first!" She pouted her lips and and was about to moan further but the small child started to wail in his arms.

Cato looked down with wide eyes not knowing a thing on how to calm a child down, he just about managed to calm his sister down when she was eight so he felt hopeless now. He started to wriggle in his arms and Cato felt like he was going to drop him and looked at Prim and Caia mortified for a second until they burst out laughing.

In Between heaves of laughter they both kept saying "your face"

Cato stared at his sister beginning to get annoyed, he didn't like him crying, it was so loud and made his brain not function properly and he was scared he'd enter another episode. When he said very seriously "Caia stop it. I don't know what to do"

But Caia who was exactly like him seemed to pull a face and wheeling away a big more whilst shaking her head, obviously liking the idea of a quiet baby than one that was crying It's eyes out. So prim stepped in and said "Rock him back and fourth it should try and calm him and if I were you take him back to Katniss...you don't want him becoming not attached to her even if she's resting it's important after birth he knows exactly who is mother is because you don't want him to reject her. Plus he's probably hungry"

Cato gulped whilst huffing his hair out his face which had grown slightly longer and began to do what prim said whilst looking into the watery blue eyes that looked like the ocean, all filled up like that. When the child's small hand reached out and somehow managed to grasp onto his finger. He took in a sharp breath, his hands were so small but his grip was stronger than he expected but so weak too and he felt afraid for him...which he'd never felt before; his whole mind which Had been whizzing around, stopped, and he seemed to stop too. Blue eyes staring into blue eyes.

He held him closer after that, because he didn't realise how vulnerable he was and the fact in this war stricken country he needed to protect him even more. He was a lot more vulnerable now then he was before he was born.

So he makes his way back to Katniss after Prim lectured him into taking him back and once he gets to her room he stops. Because he realises that this really is his son, it really is his life, it may not be going how he thought it would. But maybe it is going the way he wanted? He just doesn't know it yet. It's a ever turning series of events though and he can hardly count on anything being what he wanted anymore. Now he's happy but tomorrow in this world it could completely change and the odds may turn to someone else. He wasn't so sure of things anymore. He wasn't sure how truthful or how false things were, he wasn't sure if Caia would get her treatment or if she'd carry on the way she is, he wasn't sure if he was the person he once was or weather he'd changed. But he was sure off one thing.

Cato Embry does love his son.


	18. Chapter 14- Nothing is perfect

_**to Hi guys, I'm really sorry I haven't updated recently but if I'm honest I've had the worst time ever. I'm going to put it blunt so you don't think I'm being selfish but one of my close family members has had cancer and has been at hospital lately from an operation to remove it. I've had so much going on at school too with the start of the new year. I really hope things get better so I can update more often. I'm not trying to look for sympathy btw and I'm just trying to let you guys know the reasons of why I'm not updating and it's not because I'm doing for 'selfish' reasons. Well...I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Sorry if my work is not as up-to-scratch btw, I really don't mean it and will later make up for everything. Thankyou - Ella.**_

Katniss was finally back to her usual ways a week after the birth and was able to resume back to the mockingjay. However that didn't mean she didn't dread every second of it. Katniss hated the thought of everyone relying on her, everyone looking up to her for hope and reassurance that they can get through this. She didn't want to be their leader, she didn't want to be a symbol of hope when all she was, was destruction. It also seemed because of her the whole rebellion had almost come to a stand still, the Capitol has gone quiet and almost all the districts were just waiting for their next plan. She has a feeling that Snow has some sort of twisted revenge. But of course Coin didn't plan on waiting for the capitol and Katniss seemed to sense that she had something in mind so that calmed her nerves, at least they were prepared.

For Katniss life in district thirteen almost seemed to just go on like a normal town, the people still carried on with their normal duties doing their best to just carry on and the whole place just seemed to revolve around the work they did day-in-day-out. However she sometimes felt that district thirteen wasn't all what people thought, people acted as if they were heroes and saved them, and yes she was grateful, but all Katniss could see was a district that stood by and watched as year after year twenty-three more children were slaughtered and they did nothing about it. Surely that would make them just as bad as the Capitol?

But the thought wasn't something she spent hours on, because for her everything had just gotten a lot bigger and she felt as if the whole world was falling apart because of her but It's not the whole world, she has to tell herself that, It's just Panem. So even as the days drew longer she seemed to mimic the same actions as the thirteen citizens- carry on with her own life. She realised with time the tactic seemed to work and the more she involved herself around her son (who they still hadn't gotten a name for) and Prim the more her days seemed to go faster.

Every district knew about the child and every person in thirteen seemed to be intrigued with the two victors child. Most people now in the district asked her constantly if she'd thought of a name and she'd simply shake her head and smile. However the truth is in all honesty her and Cato have hardly spoke since he brought the child back and has mostly been having tests and major therapy, mainly because they want to make sure he's not a threat towards the child in any way.

He's still not right, she can see it in his eyes sometimes, he'd sit there all fine and then his eyes would go dark and he's be clutching the chair he sat in or digging his nails into his fists. Sometimes she wants to tell him everything's okay that its fine and whatever conjured up thoughts he's consuming are nothing but a figment of the venom twisting his mind in ways she'll never know, but it's not fine is it? Not really, she's the reason he's like this, she's the reason he screams for her to go away every night in his sleep...She used to hear his screams constantly like a video tape playing over and over until she felt like she'd louse all humanity, but now, now she blocks them out. Like a wall or barricade. She can't help him, she'll make it worse...so why try? Why does she feel the urge to help him when he's done nothing in return for her to do so, maybe it's just her, she's not weak but she doesn't pity him either so why is it that all the time she feels this constant urge to get to know him or to comfort him? So many questions and not nearly enough answers.

It's been a week since she gave birth and she's now, fortunately, gotten her strength back and is able to move off the ward. The pregnancy was hard and she was exhausted after almost barley able to move from the pain in her lower abdomen.

So huffing as she sorts through her draws and shoving her clothes in bags to take back to her room she sorts through everything. Gale is here too, helping her, she's surprised really that he's this keen to help her, yes he wasn't enthusiastic when they announced the birth and instead nodded expectantly she couldn't really ask for more. She's already hurt Gale so much and every time she does her heart slowly breaks away bit by bit. It pains her to see him from the corner of her eye look at the child in her arms and either frown or hurt to wash over his eyes and the minute she turns around its gone. She does love Gale but more in a brother kind of way, she knows that now, and every time she looks at him and sees pain she cant help but remind herself its because off her he feels this way.

But she shakes these thoughts from her head and instead occupies her mind with the endless task of sorting through her untidy bedside table. She opens the draw and takes out a few things such as her pin, note book and various other objects of Prims when there right underneath her old leather gloves she used to protect her hands from her bow in the cold. The note. She picks it up and her whole mind goes blank, she'd forgotten about it completely the whole mass hysteria of what's been happening lately she'd completely wiped it from her mind and seeing it now was like a fresh cut being re-opened again. She gulped, unfolding the piece of paper that held a contents she didn't want her broken mind to register once again seeped its way in again. What should she do? Should she confront Cato about the note? No.

The note came from Johanna, why would she even give her a note unless she's planning something against her? They weren't exactly best friends in the arena and she doubts Johanna is going to take all that shit Cato gave her because of her and not do anything about it. So slipping the note into her pocket she noted in her mind to go and ask her about it once she's finished packing.

She's about to stand up and haul the large beg out of the room when Gale interrupts and says almost monotone "Here let me get that for you" he grabs the bag without one ounce off struggle and places it outside the door. She was pretty thankful as to the fact she was still rather large and found if she did too much her body would ache. The joys of pregnancy.

Smiling slightly she mumbled thankyou to him and followed him out off the door when she says "Thankyou...for being here with me. For forgiving me" She looked down at the last part shame once again finding her.

He smiled slightly although it didn't rise to his eyes and then replied almost in a whisper "I was never angry at you Katniss, I was angry at myself, but we can't take back what's happened"

She nods not able to give a verbal answer and the only real answer she could give seemed to be a simple nod before they resumed back to work.

* * *

Katniss Walks through the maze like hallways until she comes to Joannas door who like her had beem moved out off the ward, She's probably got over her morphene habit too.

So talking a deep breath and knocking on the door Katniss waits for what feels like hours but is actually only five minutes followed by rustling.

The door opens and a tired Joanna answers it "Oh look if it isn't the mockingjay"

Katniss glares at the girl half expecting this "Cut the crap Joanna I came here to talk not be insulted, so if you wouldn't mind will you let me in?"

Joanna smirks at her reaction obviously enjoying this before saying amused "I didn't know I gave out any invitations, party's over Mockingjay I don't want to speak with you"

Katniss sighed and shook her head still frowning whilst saying "If your not going to let me in then we'll talk out here but it might be about something you don't want anyone to hear"

Joanna's smirk fades and she huffs before opening the door wider and stepping aside so she can walk in and as she does saying thankyou sarcastically in return.

Joanna grumbles "Spit it out then"

Katniss takes the folded piece of paper from her back pocket and holds it out infront of Joanna before stating "I came here to ask weather or not this is real"

Joanna shrugs uncaringly before saying "Its real alright, look at the red stamp mark only the president can use that"

Katniss looks down at the red stamp which was the colour of blood engraved with the Panem emblem, she nods "I don't trust you one bit, how do I know your not lying to me?"

Joanna smirks then replies "You don't"

Katniss sighs frustrated and beginning to become very impatient at the situation and the lack of her questions being answered so she asks "How! How did you get this?"

"My stylists were doing me up ready to go live on one off the broadcasts when they left the room for something and I decided it was my chance to go and find something or absolutely anything to get out with, so I searched and I came across a room, it was full off the usual boring stuff assignments, paperwork, letters and I was going to search through to find something or any information I could use when the peacekeepers came in. So I grabbed the nearest thing before they could notice and it turned out to be that letter"

She looks at the letter some more completely infatuated on finding out why Cato sent it so she asks quietly "But why? Why would you risk your life for some letter?"

Joanna smirked almost sympathetically before saying "I wasn't trying to be practical, Katniss, I was trying to be clever and sometimes that involves taking the bigger risks and risking your life. If I'd have gotten some information about the rebels and I'm going on live TV I could have used it and broadcast it or maybe even threatened Snow with it but no instead I picked up that letter. So that's why."

Katniss was taken back she didn't realise how clever Joanna was but then again she did win her games by acting weak and becoming the strongest tribute. It wasn't something Katniss ever thought about but she still had one question that loomed over her like a thick cloud of smoke "Why would Cato want to speak to Snow though?"

Joanna laughs out loud and says "That's something your gonna have to ask him, how would I know? But be careful he might snap, oh no! wait, your the one who's the mutt"

Katniss frowns and her whole face drops tears threaten to come, Joanna had gone to far, so whilst she still had a chance she rushed out the room. She didn't want the district 7 girl seeing her cry especially when those tears weren't for herself.

* * *

Katniss wakes up to the sun on her face through the artificial widows in her room, she groans hardly having slept last night due to the fact the baby just wouldn't get to sleep and cried constantly. But she knew she had to get up because Cato was due to come in any minute, so with all her willpower she managed to get up and put on her thirteen clothes and plat her hair.

She walked over to the now sleeping child and smiled warmly at the way he was curled up so small in a ball but she knew she had to wake him up to get him ready. So whilst softly waking the youngster who looked at her with piercing blue eyes she got him dressed as quickly as possible. Today her and Cato were going to look after him because today was her last day in thirteen before she was to leave to the capitol.

She had just finished getting him changed when there was a knock on the door, she walks over and opens the door to see a flustered Cato who's still in his gym clothes and a smiling prim who's hair is all hanging out her braid holding a cat in her arms.

Katniss smiled and said "Wow don't you two look just the picture"

Prim laughs before saying "Buttercup got louse again but luckily Cato caught him!"

Prim walks in without saying another word when she sees the child and begins playing with him leaving Katniss to stand there awkwardly smiling at Cato. He's still thin but has managed to regain quite a bit more muscle from going to the gym every morning and eating a lot more portions, she thinks he missed his athletic body.

"How is he?" Cato asks breaking the silence.

Katniss huffs before saying "How is he? More like how is me, he's always crying Cato constantly of a night, I can tell who he got it from"

He smirks and shakes his head before stepping closer and saying "You know having a big mouth isn't always bad. Especially when you know how to use it in the right ways"

Katniss scrunched up her face and quickly moved away from him before implying "Your disgusting"

Cato just laughs before walking in and sitting next to prim on the bed before Katniss asks curiously "Where's Caia?"

Prim looks up from playing with both the baby and says "Something broke on her wheelchair and she had to go down to Beete to get it fixed"

Katniss nods and looks at buttercup who's eyeing her son strangely and she laughs "Prim I don't think I've ever seen buttercup so freaked out since that time Lady tried to eat him"

Prim laughs hysterically at this rolling over on her stomach and bringing the baby with her and Katniss finds herself joining in whilst Cato looks at them both like there freaks, before they calm down and he asks "What type of cat even is he except a mutant one?"

Prim giggles before saying "I think he's part of everything but I remember one of the kids at school saying he was part Tomcat the once"

Cato nods before saying aloud "I like the name Tom"

Katniss registers what he just said before she finds herself nodding as well before agreeing and saying "Yeah but I prefer Tommy"

He looks at her and smiles like he's won a gold mine before saying "How about we call him Tom?"

Katniss nods before saying "Yeah but Tommy would be better"

Cato thinks this over before replying "He does look like a Tommy"

Katniss plays the name on her tongue a bit "Tommy Embry"

"I like it" says prim

"So do I" says Cato

Katniss picks up the youngster and says brightly "Tommy Embry"

Tommy squirms in her arms and she places him in Cato's instead whilst saying "How about we take him up to the surface?"

Cato looks at her curiously but with decision in his eyes and she can tell he's hesitant and he states "But It's dangerous"

She shakes her head "Not really as long as we keep to the opening It's just I really want him to get some fresh air"

He seems wary before nodding and so they both say goodbye to Prim before heading to the opening which is surrounded by forest.

She walks up to a grassy area and places Tommy on the ground who gurgles in delight seeing grass for the first time.

She sits next to Cato on the grass who seems to be enjoying this a lot.

"He looks so happy out here" she says.

"Yeah he does, do you remember being like that? Your childhood?" his voice is emotionless but she can tell he was generally interested.

The question was out of the blue and she's nervous weather to tell him or not before she finds herself doing so anyway because if this is ever going to work they at least need to know a bit about each other "Yes, I remember playing in the meadow with my farther and picking berries of the tress in the woods. I remember him singing me songs whilst I sat on his knee. But I also remember the day he died and the day my mother lost her way"

"You remember your farther a lot" It was more a statement than a question but it caused her to stay silent before finally replying "yes, Your childhood was different?" she'd always assumed the upper districts lives were much more worth living than the lower districts and couldn't imagine someone like Cato or Caia starving or struggling like he claimed he did.

"He sounds like someone my farther would hate a lot" Cato sighs before saying gruffly "I never really had a childhood, You think your the only one. The only ones who didn't have to suffer. Everyone suffers from the Capitol Katniss even the richest of districts"

Katniss looks at him sharply, it wasn't her fault she didn't know any better she'd always assumed and learnt districts like 1,2 and 4 were just like the Capitol maybe not so much 4 but definitely 1 and 2 "It's not my fault I never knew any better. But I know for a fact district one and two certainly benefited more being career districts and being so close to the capitol"

"You should never overvalue a district Katniss, we could have suffered just as much as you but instead we did something about it. We trained and volunteered so people like your sister should never have to go in the games. But people get carried away, just like my farther, they overrate themselves but people like me, I've suffered just as much as you have, think about it Katniss, for once ask yourself do you ever think for one second I ever wanted to go into the games?"

She'd never thought of things like that before and the perspective was something she'd never seen before and although she wanted to protest and tell him he wanted to go into the games as much as Brutus or any other career, she couldn't because she knew that he did it for Caia because of his fathers own capitalistic ways and his ignorance to help his family.

so without thinking she says under her breath "You were afraid of him...weren't you?"

Cato turns towards her his whole face sharp but she can tell somewhere in there is fear. Fear he's stored away for so long just waiting to arise before he sternly replies back his voice hard "Leave it"

Katniss frowns before suggesting trying to keep her cool "Maybe if you let someone in you could talk about it and you might feel better"

She wants to know more, she wants to know what his farther did to him, it wasn't just Caia and he knew she could tell.

Cato turns his gaze back towards her before sharply stating once again "I said leave It Katniss" his voice is gruff and cold but she can tell he's on an edge hes never wanted to be on before.

"No, I want to help you believe it or not. I know you hate me and I know you wish anyone else could have had your child but if this is ever going to work I don't think we should keep things from each other" She replies just as firm her voice daring for him to protest for him to tell her she's wrong.

She can see his gripping his fists together and he's fighting whatever might be coming into his mind before he takes a deep breath and looks straight into her eyes piercing blue on grey whilst saying "I did that once and then she was taken away from me"

Katniss has to think about what he's saying before she realises, clove, she nods her head very slowly. She never thought he'd care about the girl with the knives but ever since she saw the hurt and anger in his eyes as a flare off emotion rose in his wild eyes she knew they were more than just district partners.

"Yes, but, I'm not going anywhere"

There's silence.

He looks at her and she looks at him however there is no anger in his eyes but pure emptiness and nothing more but a black void like all the emotion has been driven out, she did the exact same thing after her fathers death. She knew emotion just got you hurt and only ever showed it to a special few such as Gale and Prim she was always too afraid that simple things like these got you nowhere but crying and hurt beyond repair...she saw the way her mother was and she never wanted to be like that.

But then her thoughts soon fade away when Cato's voice speaks up and he says "Yes"

Katniss nods she knows he's referring to her question- was he afraid. yes. The brute Cato, the career, tribute and victor who claimed he did not own the emotion of fear in fact did.

"Are you afraid of him now?" she asks her voice soft but hard the subject of his farther made nothing but distaste linger in her words.

"No, I grew out of that a long time ago" He replies his head down "Now I've answered your questions, will you answer mine?"

Her eyes went wide, she didn't realise he wanted to ask her some questions, she didn't think he'd want to know anything about her or anymore as it is but she nods her head anyway curious as to what they were.

"You can shoot, pretty good, you wouldn't have been able to learn that naturally without the slightest bit of help so who taught you?" He asks

She raises an eyebrow whilst saying "My farther"

He nods his head whilst exclaiming "Ah, that explains it"

"Lover boy" he begins to explain but she cuts him off the whole name and thought cuts at her heart and she feels her eyes well up "It's Peeta"

He carried on "Peeta, he loved you right? But you didn't love him, where you two close?"

She took in a sharp breath the subject was still a painful one and she felt a tear slide down her throat and she picked up Tommy whilst pulling him closer for comfort before saying "No, but he saved my life once..."

Cato seems surprised and his eyes hold a dim glow before he urges "Go on"

So she explains "My farther had just dies, me and Prim were left with nothing because mother had lost her way. So I went out to sell her baby clothes when I dropped them in the rain and they got muddy which means no one would buy them for the rest of the day. I was only twelve and has nothing but a few mouthfuls of food for a week...I was starving and so was Prim. So I went to the bakery and searched through the bins when Peeta's mom came out and told me to go away, Obviously peeta had saw and I just sat on the floor next to a large oak tree when the next thing I hear is shouting and Peeta's mom telling him to get out because he'd burnt the bread and ten he throws the bread to me. It was the best bread I'd ever tasted"

She didn't realise how much she'd been crying, she couldn't stand it anymore s without looking Cato in the eye she said "I have to go" and with that left neither of them saying a word.

* * *

It was evening and Katniss had been thinking about so much even though she'd spent the rest of her day with Prim and helping her sort out the medicines into the right compartments. She was begging to become nervous, today was her last day and she wanted to make the most of it. So quietly she once again fled to the outside area of thirteen, really she should have told someone to come and escort her, it's different this morning when she was with Cato, he was there but now she's risking a lecture from Coin.

She remembers the path and the way she went to the lake, it seems like the only place that can calm her and the only place that could remind her of home. Home. The word was so foreign now, district thirteen wasn't her home and never will be, only twelve could hold that title and she'd been missing it dearly. It may not have been the best or fanciest of places but it was what she knew and that's all she needed right now. A familiar place.

She breaths in the pine-cone evening air and looks at the almost still lake that reflects the canopies of gold's and reds that cascade above in the sky. There were many sunsets in twelve but only couldn't be seen from the woods as the dense smoke from the mines covered miles and miles of the district. All of them were beautiful.

The trees swayed in the breeze and Katniss could tell it was spring- her favourite season, for the birds were begging to re-awaken and the flowers were begging to grow. It was a calming atmosphere with nothing but the pure colours and sounds to numb her mind. Some of the Capitol citizens probably don't even fathom this kind of beauty, they probably don't even realise what type of world there destroying with bombs and guns. They only view places like a woods or mountains as places where the best hunger games can be taken out in.

Silence fills her before a voice catches her off guard "I thought you'd be out here"

She didn't even have to turn her head to know it was Cato "I didn't know you put so much thought into my whereabouts"

He seems to tense up at this sensing it without even having to look at him before he relaxes and sits down next to her then mumbles "It wasn't exactly hard, Prim mentioned you'd probably be out here too"

Katniss nods not really caring for him finding her and just desperately wanting to be alone, but she guesses that's not going to happen so she stays there, quiet.

"It's so different out here" The comment makes her look at him and her eyes scan over his face and she sees how relaxed he is and the fact he doesn't hold a hard glare but instead an intrigued one.

"I used to come out here a lot by twelve and there was a lake just like it" She doesn't know why she said it but it just feels right.

The breeze picks up and some of the leaved blow of the trees and over into the lake causing tiny ripples to expand out.

"Would you ever take Tom out here?" He asks genuinely interested.

"Maybe, if he wanted to" She says.

She looks at him and she sees the ghost of a smile forming on his lips. She turns away and finds herself upbraiding her hair and letting it fall in wavy locks down her back she needed to relax but she didn't notice Cato looking at her until she turned her head and found his eyes tracing her face "Your hair looks nice like that"

She looks at him intently scanning his face for any deceit but finds nothing but pure honesty and she finds her cheeks reddening and she mumbles "Thankyou"

They don't say anything after that and it stays like that for almost forever before Cato gets up "Coin will be looking for you...If anyone asks just say I came out here with you...and we lost track of time"

and then he's gone.

So she sits there until the sky darkens and the night air goes cold.

Tomorrow she leaves for the Capitol.


	19. Chapter 15 - Where it all started

_**Heyy guys, just thought I'd post a really long chapter to make it up to you. I really tried hard with this and wanted to really emphasise everything a bit more if you know what I mean. I really hope you like it. Some of it might seem a bit less detailed than some bits but probably because it's getting to the action bits and they tend to be really fast paced. Hope you like it - Ella :)**_

Katniss sighed whilst looking at herself in the mirror, she had been assigned to wear her mockingjay suit and have her hair in her signature braid. She didn't mind it though, probably because Cinna made it and anything he's made is something she would hold onto forever. She misses him, he would know what to say to her right now and make everything feel that fragment less smaller than it really is.

In all truth Katniss dispised the thought of being the mockingjay, she didn't want to be a symbol or an item or even just something to look up to; she couldn't stand the thought of people looking up to her, a murderer. Someone like Peeta should be standing here, he was good at this stuff, he would be the best symbol of peace. To Katniss all she was was destruction and anything but peace, it was almost comical.

However, she knew she had to do this for Prim, her son and Caia because they all deserved a future. A future without the hunger games.

Katniss looked up, her eyes scanning her face which is so perfect, the capital people really do know how to turn people 'beautiful' to some standards. It was weird really, they all wore these gaudy outfits that looked nothing like the normal image of a human but yet found beauty and envied the most natural and simplest of looks in their victors.

Effie was here, she was pinning the token that had changed the continent onto her right shoulder and making the last few touches whilst making approving sounds if it looked right or not. Katniss could indeed say two hours of this began to make her tired, after all she was only going into the capital to fight more than broadcast now.

Katniss hadn't seen much of Effie recently, mostly due to the fact she refused to come out not looking like a capitalistic doll and considered herself almost a prisoner in the hands of thirteen. But it haven't taken long for Effie to come out of the shadows once she was thretended her job of being Katniss' escort.

"There, you look absolutely fabulous my dear!" Effie exclaimed

Although Effie still talked and sounded like a Capital citizen Katniss knew it wasn't all what Effie was cracked up to be although she never said Katniss has a feeling Effie was on their side.

Katniss didn't know how to respond to Effies light hearted compliment mostly due to the cause she didn't want to go to the capital. It held so many memories that she couldn't stand to face, her mind couldn't take it. Once this is over Katniss swears to herself she will never step foot there ever again.

So with all the enthusiasm she could muster she replied "Thankyou Effie, you all did a great job" she guestured towards the other prep team who nodded their heads in approval even though her tone wasn't far from almost being monotone.

Effie thanked the rest of them whilst telling them to 'shoo' and once alone turned to Katniss.

silence beckons the two of them for all of a second before Effie speaks up breaking it.

"You deserved so much more than this Katniss, your my only victor and weather you won through fate or pure luck- I don't care. I'm so proud of you" she pauses as her metallic looking eyes, even without makeup, glisten as tears well up and she continues "I never wanted district twelve at first. I thought I deserved better. But what I didn't realise was that when you put enough pressure on coal it turns into a pearl"

Katniss looked at her escort and smiled a sad but knowing smile, Effies eyes were now practically overflowing with tears and she quickly wiped them away with the flick of her wrist. She still held the poise she did in the capital. All her life she'd been told no capital person could ever hold compassion or worry but even the districts themselves have been just as blinded by the capital. Both sides have been nothing but played by Snow to his own advantage, to make the Capital look down but both envy the people of the districts whilst the actual districts did nothing but the same thing to because the districts yearned for the life of someone from the capital just as much as someone from the capital envied the looks as someone from a district.

Effie had been blinded all her life and now when she realised everything she ever told was a lie Katniss couldn't help but feel the same hurt and resentment she does.

So she leans in pulling Effie into her and reassuring her, it almost felt like hugging her mom, and they stayed like that until Effie silently whispered "Go, make them see how bright the girl on fire can burn. Because Cinna would be so proud of you and he always would be"

Katniss knew that was all the reassurance she needed to know she had to make the capital burn for justice.

* * *

Katniss walked through the large shipping rooms of thirteen where most of their ammunition and reasorces were held. It was a large area and she found herself looking round whilst she followed one of the organisers from thirteen. The others she had been informed had already arrived there and we're just simply awaiting Katniss. She has no idea why she had to stay behind but she guessed it was because if they were all on one ship it would be like killing two birds with one stone for the capital airforce.

The instrustor told her to wait a minute before boarding the large aircraft that reminded her so much of the ones from the arena. It was the first time she'd been on one then and even now she feels the sickening feeling she felt the first time. No child should ever feel that feeling again. She didn't plan on it, because she had her own child now and her own will to protect him from everything she went through. Tommy deserved much better.

She sits down on one of the large seats whilst someone comes and secured everything. It was a pretty boring operation and the wait will be agaonisingly long.

After all the security checks she heard a few shouts and the doors began to close whilst the propellers at the sides of the verchal began to turn on. They were just about to close the door when Katniss hears shouts and a voice she could recognise from miles away.

Her eyes train on the door whilst after a few words and agreements with each other slowly open again. Cato, jumps onto the verchal his face is pale and his eyes are like black voids. He's hiding something, she knows it, maybe it's something to do with that letter?

Katniss stops her thoughts before she could end up slipping up to soon, she didn't want him to find out she knew what he was up to so soon. She had to clarify it first and catch him at the right moment. Now obviously wasn't that time, for she could tell he did not want to be here but yet still came anyway? Plus why the hell is he leaving Tommy on his own? She is not letting Haymitch look after him, so she just hopes both their siblings and her mother will do fine.

Curiosity gets the better of her and she asks "Why are you here?"

Her voice holds anger and he seems taken aback probably because they were getting on yesterday and she can see a flicker of fear flash through his eyes at her tone before it vanishes and he replies "I came because I wanted to. Don't worry Tom is in good hands, he won't get hurt with Caia, Prim and your mother"

Katniss wanted to be angry at the fact he would just leave their child and not even ask her consent to do so but she finds herself thinking that's not the best of options not wanting to see him go into another episode.

So she calmly states "Your here because you want to kill Snow"

He seems slightly nervous at that, he steps from one foot to the other and she can see part of him still wants to believe Snow was right and she's nothing but a mutt he has to get away from, but part of her also sees the old Cato, one that is bloodthirsty and yearns to see the light drain from Snows eyes.

So after a few seconds of contemplation he replies "not exactly but I do want Snow dead"

Katniss nods her head slowly not daring to ask anymore questions, yesterday was enough- she could tell that. She was pushing the boundaries and he was getting agitated at letting her know more about him than herself, his career side definitely showing through.

Cato goes to sit on a seat opposite hers whilst the aircraft takes of on their days worth journey to the capital. Katniss huffed 24 hours on one small aircraft was a long time, but she wasn't in that much of a hurry anyway, not in her opinion but maybe for the revolution.

There was a moment of silence once again before Cato asks "is it true that you shot an arrow at the game makers?"

Katniss nods and Cato holds a small smile "Yes, I never intended on doing it though. It just happened. You don't remember much do you?"

Catos smile fades and his eyes pale over in reminiscence for a minute or two whilst he replies almost in a daze "I do. It's all back now...but it's all muddled, like some things that you say are true but twisted and somethings that are twisted aren't even true. It's like reality and the venom has been mixed together with everything that involves you. It's all there but it's too hard to piece it together"

Katniss is silent for a second her heart drops and the whole ampshere goes with it before silently but calmly saying "Your still afraid of me aren't you?"

Cato seems weary of this question but replies with confidence within his voice "sometimes...but not now...it doesn't happen a lot. Just when you ask me questions that trigger bad memories or just raise your voice can trigger something inside of me and everything just Hazez over. I'll regret telling you this afterwards, I know it"

Katniss looks up, her eyes staring into his and for once she wishes the old Cato would be back...she doesn't want him to be afraid of her. That's not how it works. There meant to argue and disagree with one another. But she knows it's her fault, she should have saved him and brought him with her no matter how hurt she was. Part of her flashes back to the memory and recalls the worry and anger within his voice when he asked who hurt her. It almost seemed like he cared.

So replying into icy blue eyes "I'm sorry...I should have been there"

He's eyes lock with hers and he knows what she's referring to before he replies back his voice sturdy and fierce like a barrier back to how it was before he got 'hijacked' "You were, you couldn't help it. It's that bastard were about to kill that shouldn't have been. Don't blame yourself Katniss I'd rather it be me than you"

Katniss retorts quickly "That's far from the truth. You've wanted me dead since the start of the games" not agreeing with what he just said because they may have been getting along better but it doesn't mean he wouldn't kill her.

His voice is cold and harsh while he questions "and why would I lie about not wanting my child and claimed lover killed? I don't know what you think of me Katniss but whatever that is, it's wrong"

She didn't question him again, she knew she was in the wrong. But yet no matter how many times she figured him out or thought she had, she always snapped back something that would take her right back to the start again.

It's an exhausting battle but she knows there's going to be a worse one about to take place.

* * *

The trip to the capital was an exerting one, she'd hardly slept mainly because the capital held so many memories that she didn't want to remember and the thought of it sent tremors of fear right through her. But it was worse for Cato, she'd never seen him like this since he first came to thirteen; never realising what he goes through in his mind.

He just sat there all night rocking back and fourth and mumbling reassurances to himself as he stared at his feet whilst curled up in a ball. She wanted to go over there, tell him it's going to be okay and it's just the venom, but she knew she was the reason he's like this and going over there would only be like shooting herself in the foot.

When they did arrive to the base just outside the borders of the Capital they were just as tired as each other and the early morning light blinded them once they come of the craft.

They both walked over to one of the tents squinting in the bright sun and saw Cressida and what is going to be their squad. They join them around a table.

"Katniss and Cato?" She asks questionable

Cato looks around at the curious faces as to why he's here but all he does is nod and Cressida seems to take the message.

"Okay, so all of you have been chosen specifically to be a part of squad 451 also known as the 'star squad' this is because call of you get the most reactions when live on televison. It has been formed to take down president Snow and the capital" Cressida explains.

Katniss looks around altogether there's ten of them with four of Cressidas cameror Crew, Katniss Herself, Gale, Finnick, Jackson, Boggs, Homes, Mitchell, Leeg 1 & Leeg 2, Cato and Tigris.

Cressida asks if there's any questions and they all shake their heads and Boggs then takes over.

Katniss watches as he grabs a black looking object that's rounded with a screen until he presses a red button and a hollowgram fills out the table around them.

He begins to explain that every red dot is a 'pod' which are traps set out all across the capital using the things game makers made to make the games more exiting and instead placing them all across the Capital. However, what Boggs calls the 'hollow' doesn't show all the new pods reapering everyday but can tell if there's a suspected pod near by.

Katniss watches everyone from the corner of her eyes, they all seem rather anxious but the thing Katniss wonders is why Cato is here. He's not here to kill Snow, so what could be possibly be here for?

She doesn't have time to wonder though as before she knows it she's being whisked away and their entering the streets of the capital. The once luxurious and exquisite buildings are nothing but ramshackled looking shells and all the colour it once held is nothing but grey and bland without its citizens.

It would seem a shame if you were a capital citizen but Katniss couldn't really care less, they deserved to know what it's like. All her life she lived like she's going through a war.

She sees Boggs who is constantly using the hollow to scan the area and sees Gale not far behind him, she goes to catch up leaving Cato who was by her side alone.

"Is there anything nearby?" She asks gale who doesn't notice her at first, she's always been good at being quiet on her feet.

"Not that we can tell, but keep your eye out, you never know when one of those things might appear" he says.

She nods before asking rather curiously "How did Hazel take it, you coming to the capital?" She knew Gales mom, Hazel, never liked the thought of him being there but Gale had insisted ensuring he was doing this for them and Posys future.

He let out a low huff before replying "She was okay but I could tell she didn't want me to come, but she wanted me to protect you. Rory he was concerned, he wanted to come but of course I couldn't let that happen"

katniss shakes her head agreeing before saying quietly "He's too young. And your mother needs to learn to not care about me. She needs to focus on herself and looking after your brother and sister"

Gale looks at her for a moment and she looks at him noting the way the stuble around his jaw makes him look older before he says "How can anyone not care about you Katniss? I've done it every god damn day of my life and I probably will for the rest of it too, weather you pick me or...him"

Katniss looks at him and scrunched up her lip at the last comment before deciding it wasn't worth her time at the moment and concentrating on not coming across any pods. Gale didn't seem to mind either and turned away quickly whilst she went to go back to Cato who was shuffling along at the back hands in his pockets with a distasteful look on his face.

She didn't question why though.

She looked up from the back and saw Boggs nod his head at her before saying "we're entering the north side of the capital we'll see the collosium soon so stay close"

Katniss nodded and felt herself being pulled infront of Cato who looked down at her before saying "I don't intend on letting you die Katniss so stay close"

She gives him a puzzled look before saying briskly "And what if you have an episode?"

"Then leave me. I don't want you in danger" he says sternly and she's surprised in the capital he's got so much of a grip on himself.

She huffs before asking "But why? Why did you come?"

He gives her an annoyed look like it's obvious before saying "Because I don't want our son left on his own. He needs someone and if he has to live without me for you to survive then he will have to. He needs his mom"

she looks at him her eyes burning into his, she can't believe he's doing this for her, he's giving up everything he has and risking his own life for her, she wants to scream at him and tell him it's not worth it. But she can't. She doesn't know she's doing it before she leans into his arms her head resting on his chest. She'd never heard him say anything like he just has infront of her or at all and it's pulled something inside of her.

She whispers "Thankyou" as she feels him wrap his arms around her to, stunned by her actions.

He lets go not long after and they begin to catch up with the others, the streets are worse here and she can see what they call the collosium. It's houses really all in a circle with two large pillows supporting a sign with the name of the place on it. They all cautiously run up to the large steps before boggs stops us and tests the hollow to check if there's any pods.

He nods.

Cressida calls out to all of us "Get behind the walls, there could be multiple pods here, Katniss you try and shoot an arrow as best as you can whilst keeping cover"

Katniss walks up to the side of the wall before shooting an arrow through the gap, all of a sudden fire breaths out and the heat reflects of her face and she has to turn her head because it's so hot. She finds Cato beside her on the wall, he's not in a good state, he's holding his gun which his head up against it banging it with his eyes shut and he's whispering to himself again. The fire has triggered something.

Soon after the fire though two machine guns come out of the walls and bullets fly past cutting into the hard concrete wall that protects them. Katniss inches further back careful not to go into Cato. He seems fustrated and the whole noise of the bullets piercing into the hard rock and bouncing back is giving her a headache.

It's all over though and it's a few seconds after before they all get up and look around caution thick in the air. Katniss looks over at Cato who's breathing has steadied and his eyes are no longer black but are still blood shot and his whole face holding this tired dishevelled look.

Cressida and Boggs along with Pollux lead the group and they note that this is a good place to broadcast as the enter the rounded off area. The buildings surround them and Katniss can see the broken windows and fancy furniture inside the homes that she would probably spend her lifetime trying to buy one thing if she was to be still in the seam.

Katniss waits at the back with Cato as Gale, Boggs and homes go and check the all clear with leeg 1 and 2 at the wings. Katniss waits when all of a sudden the sound of the earth exploding rills her ears and the shouts of Gale fill her. She runs out not caring that Cressida tells her not to go and she runs over to see Boggs lying on the floor. He's completely blown into bits from the waist down and Katniss feels like she's swallowing splinters trying to hold everything together as she leans down next to him.

"Katniss" he breaths "I need you to take the hollow" he does something with the hollow before handing it to her.

The light is fading slowly from her eyes and the tears she has gotten so used to having prick her eyes, before he says "It's not long before they turn on you, I need you to take it Katniss and don't let them have it. I need you to live"

she wants to say something or anything but it's too late the light fades from his eyes and he's lost forever. His head tilts back and she looks up into realisation and seeing the frantic panic in everyone's faces. Leeg 2 was injured and lying on the floor one of her legs had caught the blast of the explosion and couldn't walk.

Her moans of pain filled her ears and Leeg 1 ran over to go and tend to her but stepped onto a pod the floor collapsing under her one foot like a switch and the walls around the circle like buildings began to shut closed like a seal. All of a sudden the floor began to flood. A tar like substance with the colour of oil seeped up like knives it's liquid contents both natural and unnatural in smell and looks like it had some kind of mechanical mutation to it as it swirled up like a bowel of hot soup ready to scorch anyone in its way.

Katniss heard Jackson yelling at them to get to a building whilst leeg 1 managed to lift leeg 2 up and run. Katniss stood up her legs pumping towards the building when she sees a figure unmoving like a statue from the corner of her eyes. Turning around she sees Cato frozen completely unmoving while he gripped his head hunched over.

Out of nowhere Katniss finds herself running over to Cato and shakes him violently whilst Michell comes over to help. Cato sees her and fear clouds his eyes he takes a step back and goes to grab the gun when Michell flings himself forward to stop him but Cato shoves him his hands shaking as he tries to find the gun that's gone down with Mitchell into the dark like substance constantly receding upwards.

"CATO! Come on move it!" Katniss screams

She grabs his arm in an attempt to make him move whilst glancing at the dark substance back and fourth.

"Please!" She pleads her voice hoarse and cracking with fear.

His eyes that dance over hers for a second and the cloudiness goes before Finnick rushes over in all of a second pulling them both forward and running away from the tar. Wires out of nowhere come and receive Mitchell's body that's black with the artificial substance causing them to duck and just about manage to run into the house and up the stairs Gale constantly screaming at Katniss to move upwards faster as the tar knicks their heels.

Panting Katniss and Cato fall to the ground the tar finally slowing down and coming to a stop at the top of the stairs. Katniss looks at Cato and sees Gale glearing from behind before he comes up and grabs Catos hands which are limp and handcuffs them

Katniss wants to eject but she knows it's only for the good, that can't happen again or they might just be dead.

Cato looks at the handcuffs and grumbles at Gale accusingly "And how am I supposed to make sure she's okay with these on?" Gesturing to Katniss with his hands bound.

Gale narrows his eyes whilst replying curtly "I think me and the rest of the team can do that. Anyway from what that was out there you were doing the complete opposite"

Cato looks towards Katniss his eyes calmer but fury still behind them "I told you to leave me if that happens"

Katniss looked at him and noticed he was concerned and the anger behind his eyes was aimed at himself like he'd not been clear with what he said she shakes her head before saying "I'm sorry but I couldn't" she knows full well she couldn't leave him he's the farther of her child and Tommy needs him she can't raise their child by herself "He needs you as much as he needs me"

Cato looks at her challengingly before he's silent and he turns his head to the side sighing. Katniss gets up and holds the hollow to her chest.

Jackson announces "We need to get out of here as soon as possible, peacekeepers will be here soon"

Cressida says quickly "Leeg 1 will you be able to carry leeg 2?"

She shakes her head before saying "No, she can't walk either, she's in too much pain. I'll stay here. It'll ensure you all get away safely anyway"

Cressida nods before saying "We promise as soon as we get a signal we will get someone here ASAP"

Jackson turns to Katniss and says "alright Katniss, give me the hollow"

Katniss looks at her like she's just offended her before she says "no, Boggs gave it to me"

Jackson looks at her her eyes piercing with rage "Give the hollow to me Katniss if you want to get out of here safely"

She shakes her head and says "No"

Jackson pulls out her gun and sets the trigger pointing it at Katniss immediately Gale is stepping in at the scene and says "Woah, Woah, I think we all need to calm down here. If Katniss says Boggs gave her the hollow then he gave it her"

"But why!? What's so important that she would have it? Boggs knows I was the only one who knew how to use it properly" Jackson implies.

Katniss thinks of the best thing to say before blurting out "I'm on special orders. From coin. To assassinate president Snow"

Everyones silent. Then Jackson speaks up and says "she's right"

Jackson still holds her gun before Katniss says finally "Boggs said when the time comes you will help me"

She looks at her like she's trying to tell if that's the truth or not before she lowers her gun and nods at Katniss. Gale walks over and tests if the tar is dry and they begin to make their way down.

The peacekeepers will know where they went because they would have saw it on CCTV however the tar has covered the Camerors so they won't know the location of them if they move. Hopefully Leeg 1 and 2 will be able to escape in time.

They all run towards the other side of the dome and go into an abandoned house. The delicate furniture is untouched inside only having the faintest layer of dust resting on it.

They close the curtains and lean down as they hear the peacekeepers come. They peek out of the window as they watch them, they don't waste any time.

Leeg 1 fires at them trying to trick them the whole squad is in there when really there not. The peacekeepers have more ammunition though and fire the whole place before blowing it up. At least they died doing something noble Katniss thinks to herself.

It's not long after the familiar chime of the Panem anthem plays out as if it's the hunger games. It feels like it is. Except everyone's taking part. All their faces appear on the screen.

Finnick laughs loudly before saying "I didn't think I'd live to see the day my face would be on there"

Katniss smiles at Finnick before saying "Yeah, I always wondered what my face would look like up there"

They both continue laughing trying to brighten their moods but it feels as if she's laughing from the hysteria and not really because she finds it majorly funny.

Ceaser flickerman appears on the screen next though, silencing them, he talks about how she's left her son an arphon and how she was once the nations hero but has turned her backs on them. But what he says next catches Cato off guard, ceaser says how not all alliances work and shows the scene where Cato goes into an episode whilst their trying to get away from the tar, killing Mitchell as he does.

Katniss looks at Cato who's face seems dull and blank but holds some kind of pain or regret and she scoots over closer to him.

After Ceaser has made his speech Snow appears, Katniss glared daggers at the frail man his piercing cold eyes locking with hers.

 _"So there we have it. The mockingjay and her fellow rebels are dead. A small town girl who's risen from the ashes of her district to cause nothing but destruction has left us. The rebels no longer have their leader and therefore have no way t-"_

 _the screen flashes and goes static until Coins face appears._

 _"Hello, citizens of the Capital and Snow. I am Alma Coin president of disctict 13 and the rebels. I am here to announce that yes our mockingjay may have deceased, however she died a noble death. Do not give up yet, because there is still hope for our future. The small town girl your president talks about has turned slaves into an army and has brought freedom at our doorsteps. All we have to do is reach it. Don't live in vain because the mockingjays spirit and hope is still with us"_

 _the broadcast ends._

"Wow I didn't know she cares about me so much" Katniss says her voice thick with sarcasm which causes a laugh from Finnick but silence to echo out soon after.

Gale speaks up and asks "So what now that we're dead?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Cato asks before saying "I'm a threat and a danger to Katniss, I killed that person from our squad so who else could I maybe kill?"

Katniss turns to him whilst saying sharply "We can't leave you, we're not leaving you"

Cressida sighs before saying "There's no point in arguing now guys, let's all calm down and discuss the more important things such as where we're going to go when it's morning. As far as the capital knows we're dead"

Castor speaks up "We're not far from the centre of the capital, it's about 75 blocks away"

"Yeah but there's pods every ten steps it would take us days" Cressida argues

Pollux nudges Castor his brother and tells him in sign language he knows the underground really well.

Jackson nods approvingly before saying "Okay, so if we can travel underground without being caught in any pods then we could reach the centre of the Captal in a day"

"Okay, in the morning well go underground and get to the centre of the capital, I have a friend there that can help us too" Cressida says.

"Let's get some rest for now and we'll head out at six sharp" Jackson says.

They all lie down and begin to rest but Katniss can't sleep so she insists on taking first watch. She leans up against the sofa and holds the hollow in her lap.

It's times like these when she gets thinking about the deaths she's encountered and all the things she's seen.

She feels Cato sit next to her and she looks over at him.

"Why did you do that before? Why did you hug me?" He asks

Katniss looks at him before looking down and saying "Because it felt like the right thing to do"

Cato louses up at that answer and leans further into the back of the sofa before saying "I don't understand though why you'd do that for me? You don't want me gone?"

She looks at him and shakes her head faintly "No your the farther of my child Cato not my ally. I can't possibly raise my child knowing his farthers death was because of me or I left him, I-I can't live with that burden"

Cato sighs he doesn't seem content with her not wanting him gone but he surprises her this time and pulls her into him putting his arm around her and letting her lean on his chest. She doesn't pull away or retaliate she doesn't know why though either, she's probably tired. He adjusts himself before saying "You should get some rest...you've been through a lot"

"But so have you?" She says questionably.

"I'll live" he replies

and the last thing she says before she's lulled to sleep is "I hope so"


	20. Chapter 16- Decisions mean everything

The first thing Katniss registered in her mind was that someone was holding her. In a startled fit Katniss jumps whilst opening her eyes frantically to see a now wide awake Cato, his blue eyes startled and staring. She stops. Feeling her whole body freez as she recalls being that tired she let herself be this close to him. Her face blooms into a deep red and she finds herself being more angry than embarrassed.

She let herself get too close to him and anything could have happened, she needs to stay away. She knew she had to stay away, even if it was tempting it's wrong...Then why did it feel so right? Why did she not want to pull away? Katniss signs inaudibly and puts it down to the fact she was exhausted. She'll be more awear in the future though.

She moves away and out of his arms before he has time to say anything but instead looks at her questionably before saying "What the hell goes on in your mind?" Before giving out a light chuckle and rubbing the back of his neck before sitting up.

She doesn't know what to say and she knows it's only a joke but she's still angry so she shakes her head and says almost accusingly "How did you let me get that close to you?"

He seems taken aback slightly at this before sighing and saying dryly "You never retaliated?"

"No I didn't" she snaps back.

He flicnhes and moves an inch further away, she immediately regrets it, before he replies sharply "Why is it a problem? Can't you put trust in anyone or let anything go? Do you have to question everybody's actions? I was doing you a favour, at least be grateful"

Katniss takes in a sharp breath, her mind hitting reality and the whole senario suddenly seemed very Pety. It's like she was almost looking for an underlying reason as to why he would hold her almost like she wanted him to... She shouldn't have to question his actions, it's obvious if he didn't want her near him he wouldn't let her. She should know that from all the times he wanted to get away from her before or even during the games.

She shakes her head and says "Forget it. We have bigger problems to solve"

She looks around and sees most of the team has woken up and are suddenly alert to their 'disagreement' and she swears she saw a flash of hope in Gales eyes as he realised they were arguing, but the image is soon erased from her mind. Gale isn't like that and even if it was it doesn't really matter, he should know by now she only loves him as a friend and nothing more.

Jackson stands up, already on the scene and ready for action, whilst the rest of them slowly wake up, Finnick groaning pourpusly in a rude way whilst giving a smirk at Katniss as she pulls a face and throws one of the water bottles at him as a joke. He's always been one to break the silence with his crude humour.

Cressida speaks up then and says "Have we thought about a route plan? Pollux you know the underground, yes?" Pollux nods at her answer as she continues "Alright then, perfect, we'll travel underground and enter the subways until we reach the centre of the Capital"

Pollux nods understandingly, Cressida then turns her attention to Katniss whilst asking "Katniss, can you please show us the pod locations underground on the hollow?'

Katniss looks up and walks over to where the holo rested by Cato from where they were sleeping and he passes it to her. At first she didn't have a clue how to use it but she's starting to get the hang of it now and clicks on all the different locations of pods before selections the correct one and handing it to Cressida.

"Thanks" she says whilst putting the holo in the middle of their circle and going on about different rules and routes they could take to avoid the most deadliest of pods. But of course there were new ones each day so they couldn't be sure any route would be clear.

It's not long after until there leaving the small apartment and heading to the streets of the capital. Most of the capital is barren now the streets are nothing but reminders of the once extravagant buildings and designs that are left to look at.

It's not long before they all reach the subways and have thankfully only come across one pod on the way that wasn't anything like what they've just been through. The whole journey is tiring and Jackson is currently in lead even though Pollux is now the one telling them most of the way his brother translating in return.

Katniss sometimes gets wrapped up in thinking about Tommy and how he's doing, weather or not Prim is looking after him and playing toys with him or it's her mother. She wonders if he will look different when she comes back, or if she does and she just hopes that he'll have at least one parent to go back to him, he doesn't deserve everything that's happened. He's worth more than that and certainly more than anything else (except prim who's on the same level) in the world to her.

The undergrounds are clean and spacious the whole place echoes as their footsteps bounce of the walls and back again. But it isn't long before their echoes of feet are replaced by something else the once patting is now overheard by a long drone of metal scraping upon metal which can only mean one thing. Train.

The whole team suddenly froze Katniss hears Cressidas voice raised above the others as she shouts "get covered and don't let any Camerors see you!"

They all rush behind a wall fortunately being covered from most passengers that would see and wait until the whole verchal passes on. It isn't long and soon they are asking Pollux if he knows any alternative routes, he said he knows the sewers even if it isn't the most hygienic there is probubly less pods down there than anywhere else.

The whole team make their way down an old route he knew from once being an avox and he was forced to work down there until, Castor, his only brother and remaining family, managed to bail him out.

The whole place has a cramped feeling to it and Katniss finds herself having to hold her nose due to the smell so she wouldn't choke. The Capitol isn't so glamourous down here, all those times she'd joked there sweres were probubly coated in glitter no longer seemed as funny.

She looked over at Finnick who seemed rather disgusted at the sight and was constantly checking his legs and going eww at every step he took. She rolled her eyes at his 'pretty boy' behaviour.

The ground was sludgy and Katnjss found it hard to walk though the thick waste, she walked along the narrow passageway and she believes Pollux spent a whole three years under here, it must have been so lonely, she shivered at the thought. Having been trapped in her own thoughts she finds herself slipping backwards her hands scraping onto the walls for something to old onto when her hands fall back into a pair of arms and her back up against someone else's, she turns and sees it's Cato.

He's smirking like its a joke and this only makes her cheeks go red and for her to cross her arms in sheer embarrassment whilst giving him daggers for even smirking. Then again Finnicks distant laughs filled her and she stomped on his foot under the thick sludge, as he was infront of her, making him grab his foot to onlt result in him gettinf fhe waste on his hand. now it was her cue to laugh.

The three laughed for a few minutes whilst the others looked at them like they were crazy, (which was probubly true) though it wasn't long before they were carrying on there journey. Every few yards Katniss would check for pods that are near and it wasn't until they were further into the tunnel they stumbled across one.

They came to a tunnel where they had to crawl through, katniss going first and then the others whilst Jackson kept watch. The last thing Katniss registers is crawling through and hearing the most chilling screams and cries, before she knows it she sees Jackson pushed to the ground by some sort of mutation and Cato grabbing her arms.

Cato screams behind her to run whilst the others behind defend, bullets ricochet against the walls and Katniss' ears burn with all the noise, they make there way through to an area in the tunnel where there's an opening.

Katniss was just about the start climbing the ladder when she feels her leg gripped onto and small sharp teeth prick her skin, she turns around to see one of the mutations, in an instant she draws back her bow and shoots it in the head. More seem to come though, she stabbes one as she's pulled under the murky waters and manages to strangle one with her bow, all the time looking for Cato who seems to be doing the same thing.

But her attention let her off guard, she feels their slimy fingers drag her down under the water and takes in gulps of it as they do. She feels herself chocking, just about ready to give up the fight Katniss feels a pair of hands lift the weight of the creatures off of her.

Its Finnick.

Hes now his true self, how he was in the arena, no pretend 'play boy'. He swings his trident and knocks them down and Katniss is too busy watching she doesn't notice frantic hands grab her forcing her to climb the ladder. She turns and sees Cato above with the others, it was just her and Finnick left under there then.

She watches as Finnick slays everyone of those things, but his trident is knocked out of his hands and falls miserably under the depths. He grabs a knife from his boot and stabs one that is too close, by now Katniss is screaming for him to just climb the ladder.

But he can't hear her, he gets dragged down, their slimy hands pulling him under, she's sees him thrash against them the water going everywhere.

But then she hears his screams the repetitiveness as he says "KATNISS!" Over and over again each one more desperate more wanting her help.

She feels the need to jump in and go and rescue him, but a hand pulls her back and Cato says to her "you can't help him now Katniss, walk away before it haunts you any longer"

She turns around sharply anger reverberating through her as she yells at him "Is that what you did in all the games? Is that what you'll do to me? Whilst you weren't there Finnick was don't forget that Cato, or i'll walk away before you can haunt me any longer"

He's just about to argue back but Katniss is too focused on making her next decision. Her mind fixated on what to do, she finds herself shaking and her mind bombarded with questions on what to do.

Should she go in after him, or should she end it all quickly now and end his suffering?

Her thoughts have to be quick though because soon she won't be able to have a choice.

 _ **Sorry this is so short and it's been a long time, I've been trying to plan this as best as I could really because I want you guys to decide! Looks like Katniss won't have a choice anyway, so should she go in after him? Should he survive or die if she does? Or should Katniss die? That's a joke, this would be ruined if she did 😂, or should she do what she did in the movie? I kinda wanna change this up a bit because it would be more interesting and not just based of the movie so idk, it's up to you guys!**_

 _ **But seriously it's been so long, is anyone here looking forward to Christmas? I know I am, ps: I'm going to post on Christmas Day or the day after, and it's going to be dramatic so consider it a Christmas present from me!**_

 _ **Cant wait to hear all your responses! - Ella 😜**_


	21. Chapter 17- What I never noticed

Her mind was set. Katniss pushed Cato aiside, her whole mind was now clear on one thing. Her body was racing with adrenaline as she dived back into the water.

The murky depths cut into her skin as she made impact and her whole body felt the creatures try and grasp her. She found herself drawing her knife in rage and slashing at them cutting into arms, legs or whatever she could see. Then she found him. His eyes were rolled back, half of his face was streaked with blood and one of his arms seemed to be badly injured but it was still Finnick and he was worth saving.

It wasn't easy work grabbing onto his body as the mutations scrambled to get a piece of her, no longer interested in Finnick, she placed him to the side. Hands shaking she decided it was time to use her bow, she was bombarded and needed to do something drastic if she wanted to get out of this one. Mutated faces raced towards her, tiny sharp like teeth dragged along her skin, they would normally make her scream out in pain but her body was numb as she attacked one after the other.

It was no use. Her arms were tired and begging to ache uncontrollably, she needed a plan and fast. Grabbing onto finnicks unconcious body and fighting the endless amount of creatures, she pulled back her bow breathing out carefully as she brought the string back.

Her fingers felt numb against the hard wire and her mind wasn't thinking straight because whatever she was about to do she was sure she wouldn't survive.

* * *

CATOS POV

He told her not to go, it wasn't worth her life, he was dead anyway if they got out of there, that's what he told himself. As he watched her dive into the tunnel his whole body froze, his mind went blank, should he jump back in? Or should he leave her? A million thoughts cram his brain at once and he finds himself calculating them like a computer into true and false ones. Parts told him she's just a mutt, not worth your time, but another part that wasn't his brain telling him this told him she's the mother of your child and you need her here, she's more than just his fake lover now. The confusion within him was immense.

He finds himself looking down, he sees the accuracy in her throws the slightly off posture she uses but still gets it where she wants all the time, it annoyed him at first but now he sees himself amazed. He was never told fighting like that was acceptable. It was always one way and one way only but with Katniss it was a thousand ways.

But snapping back to reality he finds himself screaming her name as she kills most of them or injures them, more flood in, but she still continues and does her best, she's a fighter he tells himself. Taking deep breaths he looks down and finds himself slowly getting ready to jump when he hears a voice loud and clear, he can hear the others now, he's been blocking polluxs chocked cries and Cressidas voice husshing him.

"You know she would hate you for going in there. She needs you to protect her family" It was Gale, his voice had a coldness to it but spoke softly when mentioning Katniss.

He doesn't really know why he's trying to help him and turns around sharly whilst asking "How do you know? She needs my help. I've been through a lot more than y-"

But his voice is cut off as Gales over powers his and says "Belive me, I now what it's like, you think I haven't wanted to protect her in the past? I wanted to volunteer in the games to protect her but she wouldn't apreciate that. She needs you there for her family. Katniss knows what she's doing if she'd risk her own life for it, she follows her heart and sometimes doing that is the best way to know what to do next"

His words light up a space in his brain that had been darkened for so long his mind replaying everything but he still finds himself asking doubtfully it wasn't all just nonsense "But she has you? Aren't you there for her family?"

He looks almost annoyed but sighs instead and says "She does, but I don't think she wants me anymore"

something about the way he says 'wants' makes Cato think and he finds himself turning back around to see Katniss drawing her bow her eyes set and determind and he sees the fire in them for all of a second when they lock eyes and until the whole tunnel bursts into flames.

His heart sinks as he watches the spitting of the fire escalate upwards engulfing everything in the tunnel, he feels almost lost as the thought of Katniss not coming out alive comes to him. He finds himself rushing over his hands gripping onto the edges as the flash fire flames from the explosion burn out. She's used an explosive arrow.

His hearts beating at a million miles per hour and his voice sounds out like a shattered music box "Katniss? Katniss are you down there? Katniss..."

He wants to jump down and feels his body yearning to go down there and help but Cressida pulls him backwards. He feels limp as there's no reply, no Katniss...no reply. His breaths are ragged and he feels like he can't get enough air and he's fighting Cressidas grip as she urges him to go on. It does feel right, this feeling isn't right.

He looks at the others, gale stands there his face completely lost whilst polluxs cries are heavier for the loss of his brother, Cressida seems like the only one who's acting normal, some people deal with it differently though.

It's different for him. Katniss needs to be there for their son...and something inside of him tells himself for him to. He can't do this by himself, he's had to come to terms with that and with the desperation he's feeling now he believes it even more.

But she isn't. There's no call. Nothing.

He finally turns around fighting every urge his body is telling him to go back, just one last look. The others begin to follow, Cato looks at the floor as his feet hit the gravel heavier than they did before like a heavy weight is held upon him.

Suddenly though, a strangled and bearly audible voice is heard, there cries are distant and Cato instantly turns around. He runs straight back to the opening of the tunnel and sees Her. Katniss. Alive. Not dead.

His heart pounds harder as he sees her and he can't help the smile that lights up his face. She's not in a good state and half her body is bruised as she holds Finnick who looks even worse. He doesn't care though, she's alive, that's all that matters.

He jumps down to her and the others catch up instantly beginning to help lift them up. Cato reaches down taking her hand in his and lifting her up, his stomach turns as he sees her.

Theres blood in her forehead which is accompanied by a large gash, without knowing he pulls her closer, wiping the blood from her forehead with his thumb and smiling like he'd never smiled before at her.

She look's up at him with glassy eyes as he says "I thought I'd lost you"

Her features soften as he says this and he finds himself brightening inside as he sees how vunerable she is and the next thing he does he cannot control.

It's not like the ones he's given her before, not quick kisses just for show, no, instead it's slow like he means it and he doesn't even know why but something inside of him has been telling him to do this for so long. Just kissing her turns something in him, it's different, she's startled at first and panicks but soon kisses him back shocking him more. The most he normally gets back is a slap or bite to his lower lip.

He can't help but feel overwhelmed as he breaks away, because he just kissed Katniss Everdeen.

KATNISS POV

Nothing but blackness envelopes her first as she punged deep under the water with Finnick to avoid the explosion, sparks fly past her and fire clashes with water as the rustling of flames fill her ears. But it's all gone in just over a second and she finds herself unable to move, her whole body froze in shock. She clutches Finnick and slowly rises from the water once it's ended. But she can't help but stand there and look around in complete shock.

Theres a few minutes maybe even hours maybe even days it feels like before her cold and haunted voice speaks up croaking out of her achy body. Everything hurts, that's all she can think off as she feels Cato pull her upwards, he's smiling which confuses her and throughout the whole thing she feels heresf in a transfixed daze reality still hadn't hit yet. It was like being unconcious but yet concious at the same time.

Catos voice rings in her ears as he says "I thought I'd lost you" and pulls her close, she lets him because at the minute all she wants is for someone to be close to her and sooth her pain.

But what happens next almost snaps her out off her daze, before she knows it his lips are resting onto hers and she feels herself snapping into reality at the feel of his soft lips up against hers kissing her like he'd never done before. She's froze and doesn't know how to respond.

But what shocks her even more is that she kisses him back, she can taste spice upon his tounge just like she could that one night...she forgets it soon though getting lost in the kiss baffled by her actions. He releases and her body glows a warm feeling within her and she almost feels as radiant on the outside too if it want for the explosion. She gives him a smile she's never given him before, and he smiles back. All these emotions are confusing.

She still can't believe it though, Cato Embry kissed her and she kissed him back...and maybe, just maybe, she might have even liked it.

 _ **Ooohhh everything's getting heated! Katniss and Cato kissed! Thought I'd shock you with that one! But what about the letter? What dark secrets is he holding or is he holding them at all? Got a long way to go yet but all will be revealed! Haha not everything can be perfect for too long!**_

 _ **Hope you guys are enjoying it and Thankyouu for all your support, I just want to thank Nique-Mellark for the ideas for this! Pure genius, I didn't think of this and I think it's so good.**_

 ** _Always wanting to hear your ideas and thoughts so either drop a review or Pm on what should happen next, will Finnick be the same? What about Annie, will he ever meet his child yet to be born?_**

 ** _Happy holidays guys - Ella 😅_**


	22. Chapter 18 - A new world, a new life

Katniss opens her eyes, familiar blue orbs melt into her own as they break away, she feels herself give an outtake of breath she didn't even know she was holding. The whole world just seemed to whip around her, her mind registering everything that had happened, her hands shaking as they now rest on Catos shoulders which pull her from falling. She can still smell the faint smoke and her hair rests wet upon her shoulders, her braid now being a straggled mess.

Breath, she tells herself.

But she can't. Her whole body aches with adreneline and she can now hear Catos voice running through her brain as she uselessly tried to process his words. Her grip fell tighter on his shoulders as a dose of dizziness rose upon her. However, an incessant darkness begins to flood within her, trapping her; she feels herself falling to the pits of it. Her hands grasp for anything near; the last thing she remembers is a pair of arms before everything goes black.

* * *

Katniss awakes suddenly her eyes meeting with a dull light reflecting into some old boxes. She looks around with her eyes, unmoving her head, not wanting to be too obvious she's awake. She's in some sort of basement she knows that for sure. She closes her eyes again, everything that had happened is all muddled, she can't remember much. Her body still aches but she has a feeling they've put her on some sort of numbing drug. So pretending to be asleep, she stedies her breathing until she hears two familiar voices echoing in the room, she wanted to open her eyes, however she knew if she let on she was awake she wouldn't hear the rest of this conversation so she tuned in silently.

"You know I can't do that" she hears Gale his voice harsh but quiet, probably doesn't want to wake her she thinks to herself.

"I mean it though...If I ever found out I harmed her, I couldn't live with myself" Cato says slowly.

Her heart beats rapidly at his words, what does he means by harm? She knows he has no intention of harming her now, so why should he be worried if he does? She carries on listening to the conversation.

"You already have harmed her" Gale says bitterly "You've gave her the one thing she never wanted, if it wasn't for you she wouldn't be here now" his voice is aggressive and Katniss feels herself stifining, Gale wasn't like this, isn't, she knows he hates Cato but blaming him for her fate isn't something she likes. Gale is meant to be her best friend and she knows for sure best friends are meant to respect them weather or not they can hear what they're saying.

"No, she'd be dead" Cato replies back his voice slightly hoarse. She's surprised he's kept his cool, then again, the capital has changed him...

"What are you implying?" Gale asks cautiously.

"If I wasn't there, Katniss would be dead by now, I'm the only thing that stopped snow from killing her off and calling it a tragic 'accident'. Snow loved the fact me and Katniss were together against her will, it was better than seeing her die because he wanted to see her break. And if it wasn't for me...it was only a matter of time before she did break. I can't let that happen though, even if things are pretty confusing at times" Cato says his voice echoing off the walls and his voice holds a sense of authority...or was it just maturity? She couldn't tell.

Gale huffs, he seems annoyed, Cato always managed to 'upstage' him somehow and Katniss has a feeling his fuse will blow out soon "I didn't think you liked her at all, at first, if I'm honest, I thought you were just dating her for money...it's not up until I saw your sister that I realised you had a family to protect too...I still hate you. But part of me respects you for doing what needed to be done. I guess you don't realise how precious things are until there gone..." Gale seems almost lost there's a sadistic humour held behind his voice as he says the last bit, like he's remembering a bad dream. She knows deep down though he's speaking about her.

On the other hand, Katniss is surprised by his response and her heart warms at the thought of Gale finally coming to terms with everything, all she ever wanted was peace, she didn't want Gale to feel jealous or pushed away, if anything she wanted the opposite. It's not her fault though, she had to protect him, it often crosses her mind though if they would have been something if not for the games.

Her thoughts are cut off by Catos voice though and she has a feeling this conversation will end soon "I didn't like her at first. She was my enemy, an obstacle, even at the start when we were both victors I hated her for taking away what my sister deserved. But, I don't think she realises the type of effect she has on people, something changed when I knew she was having my child...it was different" he says and for once she realises what Cato means, he never shows emotion, especially towards her and after all this time she feels slightly guilty for hating him for hating her too. He had every right to just like she did to him.

She doesn't know if Gale agrees to what he just said because he's silent, but what does throw her of guard is his next question "I'm not going to 'steal' her off you if your worried. You have a child, it would be shameful of me to do that. As much a sit pains me, I know you care about her...and your child. But if you harm her I will not hesitate to shoot an arrow through your head"

silence.

"That was the agreement" Cato says bluntly.

Katniss' heart beats rapidly in her chest. Cato wanted Gale to kill him if he ever harmed me? Was he really prepared to sacrifice himself if it meant saving me? I know he said so in the games but that was different, I didn't understand him then like I do now' she thought to herself her mind completely boggled, she couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in her gut at either thought though. She can't, or more like won't, let Gale kill Cato just to let her live.

She pretended to stir and opened her eyes looking at the two of them who looked for a second guilty but quickly looked away from each other. No one would have saw the flash of guilt though if not having heard their conversation before hand.

She pretened she didn't hear anything.

"Good morning" she said smiling sleepily.

"Morning" Cato said slightly smiling.

Katniss tried to sit up but a jolt of pain swept through her body and she felt herself sliding back down again.

"Easy there, your still pretty bruised from that stunt you pulled saving Finnick and your left rib is fractured" Cato said helping her sit up properly.

Katniss squeezed her eyes for a second to block out the pain before asking "How is he? Finnick?"

Cato sighed "He's in a bad way, he's unconcious, you just about saved him in time. However, Cressida called for an air craft after you passed out to come and fetch him. They want you to go back too y'know. Your in a bad shape, I don't think you should hang around in the Capital Katniss your like a target waiting to be shot at"

Katniss' eyes narrowed and she burned with determination once again "No! I won't go back to District 13 Cato! I started this rebellion and the best thing I can do is end it, fractured rib or not!"

"Your hurt Katniss and someone needs to be home for our son" Cato says searching her eyes for anything that agrees with him.

Imstead this gave her more fuel and made her anger even more so "Your the one who left him to come here! I want Snow dead and if that means fighting every god damn pod and peace keeper, I will!"

Now, she could see he was getting angry "All I've ever wanted to do was protect you and our child! I risked my life for you and him, I could have just left you in that areana but I didn't did I? So don't for one second presume I left him for the capital! I've got to extreme lengths to prove it!"

Katniss huffed in anger, her left side was begging to hurt now and she didn't have the energy to fight back. She'd have to let him have this one, she needed to rest as much as possible so she can convince everyone here she will be the one to kill snow.

"Your right. Now leave it" she said sternly

He looked taken aback for a second and nodded wearily at her sudden agreement until after a minute or two sat down next to her too. It wasn't long before Pollux, Cressida, Gale and the others carrying Finnick all woke up and made their way out of the basement of the abandoned apartment.

They walked through the rubble of the walls before they reached day light and she saw Cressida talking into a walkie-talkie and a hover craft landing infront of us. A large man who had a beard and green over alls that Katniss recognised as the nursing uniform. She'd seen prim and her mother wear it a few times when going off thirteens premises to help the wounded.

He walked up to them and checked Finnick over before ushering the other five over to come and help him on a table before approaching Katniss.

"Hello miss Everdeen, I'm just checking you over and giving you a support for your waiste this will help keep things in place"

He checked her over and secured a black hard piece around her waiste and told her it was bullet proof and should detain any other damage from things too.

"It should take up to four days for the wound to heal if you take these tablets every day, once a day" he passed her the tablets "apart from that, they should decrease inflammation and pain and help speed up the healing process" Katniss nodded and out the tablets in her pouch after taking one now.

The only thing she can really thank the capital for is their availability to increase the healing process that district thirteen seems to have caught on to. It seems to work too because it's not long after when the tablets start working their magic and the pain almost goes, at least Katniss can now stand.

The group now just consists of her, Cato, Gale, Cressida, Pollux and a few of the cameror crew however numbers are slowly decreasing and Katniss just hopes this doesn't put Cato or even Gale in danger. Huffing she walks over to Cato who's talking to Cressida about something.

"-is it really that far away?" She hears Cato say as she joins him.

"Is what far away?" She asks tuning in, curious as to what they were saying.

"Cato and I were just discussing how far away it is from president Snows mansion" Cressida says blankly however Katniss is still confused.

So she asks "Why would you want to know that?" She turns to Cato looking baffled.

However, it's Cressida that replies for him "When you were knocked out there was a broadcast saying president Snow is asking for all refugees to come and meet outside his mansion, Coin wants us you and Gale to go down there acting as if your part of them and find a way to get into Snows mansion"

Katniss nods, it was a good plan she'll admit to that, but katniss was weary about it Coin was planning something and Katniss was more than cautions around her 'plans' now.

The squad decide to head out after they pack the rest of the stuff and they make there way through the streets once again, Katniss was growing tired of seeing the maze like structure, concrete bored her now and the buildings were too high and daunting.

Katniss' mind skips to what she overheard, she can't help but what to know and she almost feels guilty having to keep it a secret that she heard them. She won't say she heard all of it but she'll definitely let them in on it. What was it about anyway? Was Gale going to kill Cato? She hopes not, as much as she hated Cato before they are now friends and she can't not notice the stabbing feeling in her stomach at the thought. As much as she never wanted to admit it she neeeded Cato, as a farther and also as a friend. He's the only one that really knows what she's been through and although she has Gale Katniss feels as if even he sometimes is naive to what she's been through. Sighing to herself at the exertion it takes just to think about this she decides that it's best to go up and confront Gale, secrets don't last long anyway, not in her world she'd learnt that from Finnick. So leaving behind her troubling thoughts she made her way to the back with Gale deciding she needed to have a talk with him over what she'd heard.

"Hey" she says quietly.

"Hi" was all she gets back.

She wanted to make this easy but it looks like Gale is in no mood for conversation, something's been wrong with him ever since Cato and him had that talk and she hopes that just telling him straight will help just get it over with.

"I know I shouldn't know this, but I don't want you to hurt or even kill Cato, Gale" she says skipping to the point.

Startled, he looks over his shoulder at her and almost stops, his eyes are glowing with surprise "who said anything about me wanting to kill Cato?" He said sceptically.

Katniss takes in a sharp breath and hopes Cato is so far ahead so he won't hear their discussion "You and Cato, last night"

Gale looks guilty, she can always tell when he's hiding something and he knows it so he says quietly "So you heard?"

She nods.

He sighs and replies "There's really no point in hiding it now then, do you want to know? If so I'm going to have to tell Cato you heard"

Katniss thinks on it for a second, Is it really worth Cato finding out and possibly getting angry? Then again, she can't help what she hears. Does she really want to know why though? She doesn't have any longer to think further though as she finds herself nodding slowly and as if it all happens in a second, Gale is calling Cato over and the three of them are slowly walking at the back.

"She heard our conversation" Gale says bluntly to Cato.

His eyes flash to Katniss' and they flash with fear and upset his eyes a mixture of emotions she'd never encountered before but it's gone in a second and she's left staring into his blank crystal eyes.

"How much did you hear?" He asks.

"Only up until Gale agreed to do it. If your hiding something though Cato I have a right to know, you can't go around throwing my life around like it's something you get to decide, we're not in the Capital anymore!" Katniss says starting to get aggravated at how slow they are being at just telling her.

Cato sighs and rubs the back of his neck before coming to a complete stop and saying "I didn't want to hurt you, that's all. The doctors, they said that Tracker jacker venom can sometimes make you hallucinate even after treatment and that as the treatment goes on and I'm becoming more...me...I might become more violent. The capital, they made me so afraid of you that...it could possibly result in me wanting to hurt you if I'm ever in an episode. I can't let that happen, so I did what needed to be done. No one else would do it Katniss. I'm a threat, not only to you, but to everyone here too"

For the first time Katniss feels something for him turn inside of her, her gut twists into regret, horror but most of all sorrow. Cato doesn't deserve this, no one does, hell, he was her worst enemy once and not even before she would have wished this on him. She looks up into his eyes again...why was he trying to protect her so much? Confusion swept within her like waves taking over and she felt dizzy as different questions hurdled her mind. Was he just doing it all for Tommy? They were friends now, so she tells herself any friend would want each other to be safe. Even people who aren't friends still don't want to hurt people. So she shrugs the questions off and applies 'common sense' to each one instead. Even though Katniss was now a mother, she was still naive and she felt trying to work out the opposite sex was like trying to work out why the Capital people made Green skin a fashion statement, it just didn't make sense.

Those blue eyes were so welcoming but so scary too, they reminded her or death and hurt however when they looked at her now they showed slight warmth like if she went near it there'd be a risk of it spreading and she could also see fear too, the fear of her, but he didn't flinch or move as she walked closer to him.

Katniss pulled him towards her and rested her head on his chest her arms sliding round his muscly build, he was firm and she found herself almost sighing as she leaned into his warm embrace.

"Thankyou...for protecting me, but I don't want you dead" she says looking up at him her.

He looks down and smiles slightly his eyes now warm like "It's okay. But I have to protect you Katniss even if it means dying"

she smiles back slightly for a second before pulling away and asking "But why? Why do you want to protect me?"

Cato looks taken aback and then smirks and says "well isn't it obvious? God Katniss your so naive sometimes, I can't exactly let you die and I thought we're friends? I don't want you to die and I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you or even...murdered you"

She'd never heard Cato say the word murder before and it made her shudder, Careers don't usually refer to death as murder, even in the games they say 'their kills' or 'kill'. So she just nods before carrying on walking with him whilst trying to catch up with the others, Gale had decided to start walking ages ago when he could see they were talking and is now way ahead.

Her mind went back to thirteen and what they could be doing there, was prim helping out at the hospital with her mother? Or was she petting buttercup with Caia and Rory? The three of them were all friends now, more Caia and Prim however before she left Rory and Caia were getting to know each other. What about Tommy? Had he grown? We're they looking after him properly!? She's sure prim would do a fine job though, even if Caia isn't too keen she knows Prim is probably dragging her over there everyday just to see him. Katniss smiles, it warms her heart to think of all these people in her life now and she can't wait to just go back and see everyone again. Make prim laugh, watch her son grow, help Caia walk again and go to the meadow or the woods. The thought of being free was something she'd yearned for for so long, her heart and her mind twisted in fustration at the thought of waiting a second Longer.

When her thoughts then goes to the one thing that's been plaguing all this time and her thoughts grow solemn. What about the letter? She's not really heard much more about it and her heart races at the thought, maybe it was time to bring it up? Would Cato be angry though? What about Joanna, could she really be telling the truth? There's only one way to really find out and seen as he confessed to his conversation with Gale maybe now was a good time to bring that up too. She doesn't want this on her mind anymore.

So she takes a deep breath and asked almost carefully "When you got back I spoke to Joanna" Katniss says testing his reaction but he just looks down at her unentertained so she carried on "She gave me a letter, it was to president snow, addressed from you. I don't know how she got it...but I think it's best if we talk about this Cato"

She looks at him and sees his wide eyes and a terrified expression, this edges her on more so she asks unpatiently "What is it Cato? I think I deserve an a-" however she can't even get her sentace out as Cato grabs her hand and he drags her into a sprint.

"WHAT ARE YOU DO-" but she looks behind and sees a black mass of...Beetles? Making it's way towards them. Anything in their path is being stripped away and she can see Gale and Cressida along with her crew upper head. They make their way through a small alley way that seems to help keep the beetles away, they literally ate anything in its way though and Katniss sees them crawling all over the walls. But she pushes further and they run through back alley ways and shortcuts, Cressida shouting orders and leading the way all the time. They sprint for what seems like hours and Katniss' side begins to hurt and her rib is throbbing, her lungs are burning and she can't seem to take in enough air when they do eventually stop.

They all make their way under a building and sit underneath a sheltered area, it was now raining and the air was getting cold. Katniss leans up against an old pillar and closes her eyes trying to create things in her mind to keep the pain at bay. It was something they'd taught her in her therapy, and about the only thing that worked. When she opens her eyes again the pain seems to have slightly subsided and it's not long before Cato sits next to her again and says "Do you still want to talk?"

She turns her head slightly to look at him before nodding slowly,then looking away at getting ground, whatever it is she better brace herself she thinks. However, Cato sits infront of her forcing her to look into his eyes, she tenses as he leans over and places his hand on her chin and looks at her with a desperate expression, her stomach flips and she finds herself sharing his fear as she looks into his ice blue eyes.

"You have to promise me Katniss, you won't look at me any differently after I tell you this?" He says and for once she can see he's nervous and he's in deep thought, whatever that letter was about he really remembers it.

Katniss doesn't know what to say though, but she wants to know and it's not like she can ignore it now, it would be like a wall that she had to climb but couldn't. So holding her breath she whispers "I promise"

Cato nods and looks down his hands going from her chin to her neck to then rest on her arms, the contact makes her shudder, she remembers those arms and how strong they were and how they could easily break a bone but what she feels now isn't fear. It was nothing like their first night on the train.

"I wrote the letter because I wanted to stop you and Tommy from being sent into the games" he says looking at her expression, she just nods urging him on "Well, Snow disagressed at first when I asked him, it was a week after we found out you were pregnant when I sent him a letter and a request that we meet instead, so we did and I told him that I would sell myself to him...in order to save you and our son"

Katniss' lungs hurt as she takes in an intake of breath so sharp, Cato would really do that, for her? She thought he hated her then? How could he ever do something like that? Something inside of her is mirroring worry as she thinks over this. However, She doesn't really know how she would have felt if it had actually happened, because it didn't, did it? She finds tears pricking her eyes and her gut swerve into all types of emotions when she finds herself flinging her arms around him and saying "Cato you shouldn't have...y-" but she doesn't know how to continue and she has to wipe her eyes and steady her breathing until he can continue, she sees sympathy in his eyes which she'd never saw before and she leans further into his arms which still embrace her.

Katniss wanted to kick herself and tell her she had to get herself together, she was better than this; showing her emotions. But something felt right about this and for once she felt like she didn't have to be the one in control of everything, like someone else could handle it for her. She'd never felt that before and it felt scary but also comforting because it meant for once she can be the one who is letting out their emotions.

When he says softly into her hair "Its fine...I had to. I had to protect you..." his voice sounds unsure though and Katniss can tell he's shaken up about this, it's probably just being reminded of the Capital though and she shakes away the fact he almost sounds even more guilty.

He breaks away from their embrace and says "I'm sorry"

She cocks her head to the side in confusion and says "Don't be, you did what needed to be done" and she finds herself leaning forward her lips locking with his, it was slow like the time on the beach and his lips were soft against hers everything around her seemed to fade away and she found herself leaning closer until she broke away and she was peering into blue crystal eyes once again.

However, their trance was broken as they heard a cough from behind them, they both broke away startled and looked towards their intruder. It was Gale, his face was hard and showed no emotion, the hurt that would have covered his face if he saw them months ago was now gone and his whole exterior was sharp and rigid...it reminds Katniss of when she first met Cato. Her heart broke slightly at how much more of a stranger Gale was becoming and the distance between them, she can't even remember the last time she laughed with Gale and she feels she's loosing him.

Cato on the other hand doesn't seem to notice and just puts his arm around her and says jokingly "So was that kiss an invitation Katniss? Because there's no more excuses now to get in bed with me" he smirks at her.

She scrunches up her face and pushes him away jokingly making him louse his footing slightly "No way indeed Mr Embry, anyway I can find better"

Katniss walks of confidently trying to act like he doesn't effect her and she finds herself smirking when he catches up and says "Wow, as if, your joking right?"

She puts on a straight face and says "of course not!"

She then walks faster and catches up with Pollux who seems to be a bit cheerier than before and looks at her smiling and then at Cato and shakes his head at them silently laughing.

"Like who? Who's possibly better than me?" Cato says his voice was sounding like a child moaning as he said it and Katniss can't hold it in any longer and laughs hysterically.

"Your face!" She says between laughter again and again.

"It's better than seeing your morning face everyday" He says rolling his eyes.

Katniss was about to reply back another comment when Cressida ends it and says "Katniss, Cato you both need to calm down, We're nearing a friend of mines home and hopefully she can help us. You need to be quiet, this part of the Capital still has refugees around and if anyone catches us we will all be killed"

Katniss and Cato are quiet as they watch Cressida make her way to a house and knock on the door silently. Meanwhile Katniss pears over her shoulder at Gale who's looking at the floor and shuffling his feet, regret immediately washes over her, it was unfair to act the way she did with Cato infront of him. It was like telling a child the cake was for them but instead giving it to another and making them eat it infront of the.

But should she really feel guilty for simply having happiness that she hadn't felt in ages? Another part of her told herself, it felt right joking with Cato, it was a different kind of humour that was pretty similar to her own.

It's not long before Cressida comes back over though and ushers them inside and shuts the door. A woman stands there in a dark cape and when everyone is taken into a large living room with expensive furniture she takes away the cape. Katniss almost gasps, she's a tiger. Her whole face painted with stripes and whiskers implanted into her cheeks with dark eyeliner round her eyes.

"I will help you, I used to be a stylist in the games. My name is Tigris" She says.

"How do we know you want just hand us in?" Gale asks wearily.

"Because president Snow did this to me and I would gladly help you. It seems he was not satisfied with my work, so instead of killing me like the rest, he made me what he said was 'living up to my name'" she said solemnly.

Katniss gulped, president Snow really was a sick man.

"We'll stay the night for now and when morning comes you and Gale will join the refugees, thankyou Tirgris" Cressida says.

The woman does not smile but simply bows her head, Katniss has a feeling she's lost the ability to smile, weather that's through the surgery or feelings. She turns around though and she gracefully walks us to our room. The way she spoke and acted was certainly like most Capital citizens however Katniss knew this woman was not a threat.

They all decided to settle down, most of them sleeping on the floor, Katniss herself did too. She'd gotten used to it now and it was almost comfortable. She leans against the wall and Cato comes next to her. Before she can even protest he puts his arm around her and says "Tomorow it could be a new world"

and she looks at him and says "And hopefully a better one"

 _ **Heyy guys, I'm so sorry for the very late update, I've been stuck on what to do and my whole plan and I just couldn't find any words to write. I didn't want to write anything stupid either or unrealistic so I just went for it. Lol. So yeah, you finally know about the letter however if you feel this was a let down then you don't have to feel that way because the next thing that you'll find out is how Joanna really got the letter and why. I feel so evil sometimes whilst thinking of plot twists XD. But I really hope this was okay and I made sure to make it pretty long, or what seems long to me. So just a few questions:**_

 _ **1\. Do you think prim should die? Or not?**_

 _ **2\. Should I try my best to stick to the book or not? I do like to move things around a lot and I did so in this chapter, was it too much?**_

 ** _But I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to writing more! - Ella 😁_**


	23. Chapter 23

Hello, my name is Sam.

I am here to explain or rather inform you all that this writer or as some of you know her as, Ella, has Sadly passed away. I am a dear friend of Ella's and I am devestated, as well as many others, about the news. I knew Ella had this account and was a keen writer, she expressed herself through her words, especially on her darkest days. I don't know if some of you are awear of my review for I was unable to access the account at first, until I came across a diary of log in details on her phone that was unlocked for her family members. I knew I needed to inform you all about her passing even if this is breaking me to do so.

For all of you who didn't know her, she was a lovely girl, she only wanted to do what was best or what she thought was right. She didn't see wrong in anything or anyone and I couldn't be more than happy to have been her friend. She was a bright girl and I am so sad to inform you all of this news. Her cause of death however is something I have not been granted permission to say and therefore cannot answer any questions relating to her cause of passing although I would be more than happy to answer questions.

I miss her a lot and I'm sure some of you probably will too. I loved her dearly and I can only hope that wherever she is she is safe and happy. I'm so sorry to those of you effected by this and I hope this hasn't caused you all any distress. I know that she wouldn't want this to have happened.

Thankyou for reading though and I will be in control of the account until further notice.

\- Sam


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